Pakistan and Oman exchange six agreements covering visa exemptions for official passport holders, information technology, media cooperation, records and archives during the 8th Joint Ministerial Commission meeting.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Oman on Wednesday exchanged six agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors during the visit of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the exchange of agreements and MoUs during the 8th session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), according to a news release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr signed three agreements: the Protocol Recording the Minutes of the 8th Pakistan-Oman JMC, the Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic, Special, Official and Service Passports, and the MoU on Records and Archives.
The remaining three MoUs cover cooperation in information and broadcasting, information technology and telecommunications, and news exchange and media cooperation. The respective federal ministers for information and broadcasting and information technology and telecommunications signed these documents.
Pakistan-Oman visa exemption agreement
The mutual visa exemption agreement covers holders of diplomatic, special, official and service passports from Pakistan and Oman.
The agreement is intended to facilitate official travel between the two countries for eligible passport holders. It does not, on the basis of the announced scope, establish a general visa-free travel arrangement for ordinary passport holders.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts to strengthen diplomatic engagement and institutional cooperation between Islamabad and Muscat.
Cooperation in IT, media and archives
The other agreements aim to expand cooperation across several fields, including information technology, telecommunications, broadcasting and media.
The MoU on news exchange and media cooperation is intended to provide a framework for closer engagement between the two countries in the exchange of news and related information.
Meanwhile, the agreement on records and archives seeks to promote cooperation in the preservation and management of archival records.
The protocol recording the minutes of the 8th Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission also formalises the proceedings of the bilateral forum, which provides a platform for discussing areas of mutual interest and strengthening economic and institutional ties.
Strengthening bilateral relations
The exchange of the six agreements and MoUs reflects Pakistan and Oman’s shared commitment to strengthening their longstanding bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across diverse sectors.
The latest agreements provide additional avenues for engagement between the two countries, particularly in diplomacy, technology, communications and institutional collaboration.
The visit of the Omani foreign minister and the JMC meeting underscore the importance both countries attach to maintaining close ties and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation.