The agreements were signed during the three-day state visit of Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years. The visit also marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Muizzu witnessed the signing ceremony, where representatives from both sides exchanged the documents.
In a post on X, the prime minister said efforts to increase bilateral trade would be accelerated. He also announced that Pakistan would provide technical assistance to the Maldives in the information technology sector.
The agreements cover defence, information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), health, education, social protection, agriculture, fisheries, tourism and maritime security, among other areas.
Both countries signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in information technology, cybersecurity, AI, digital skills, technology and innovation. They also agreed to work together to combat illicit trafficking and the misuse of narcotic drugs.
Other agreements focus on social protection, healthcare and cooperation between the Maldives Food and Drug Authority and Pakistan's Drug Regulatory Authority. The two sides also signed agreements on recruiting healthcare professionals, strengthening defence ties and improving maritime security cooperation.
Pakistan and the Maldives signed separate agreements to expand cooperation in agriculture and fisheries. They also agreed to strengthen technical and vocational education and training, alongside broader educational cooperation.
The agreements further cover youth and sports development, air connectivity, tourism, arts, culture and heritage.
Several MoUs were signed between institutions from both countries, including the Maldives Police Service's National College of Policy and Law Enforcement and Pakistan's National Police Academy in Islamabad.
The Civil Service Commission of the Maldives also signed agreements with Pakistan's Federal Public Service Commission and Civil Service Academy.
To promote trade, the Maldives State Trading Organisation and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan signed an MoU covering agricultural commodities, food and other products. Another agreement focuses on environmental cooperation.
Maldivian President Muizzu received a guard of honour at the Prime Minister's House upon his arrival on Wednesday. Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed him, and the two leaders exchanged greetings as the national anthems of both countries were played.
The leaders subsequently introduced their delegations before holding one-on-one and delegation-level discussions.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met President Muizzu in Islamabad and conveyed greetings from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a Foreign Office statement.
Dar welcomed the Maldivian president and his delegation, reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to its longstanding relations with the Maldives. He stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in trade, investment, education, climate change and tourism.
He also welcomed the participation of Maldivian business representatives in the Maldives-Pakistan Business Forum, expressing hope that business-to-business engagement would create concrete opportunities for trade and investment.
President Muizzu thanked Pakistan for its hospitality and expressed his country's desire to deepen bilateral relations and explore new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Maldivian president arrived in Islamabad on October 20 for the three-day state visit, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers and senior officials.
During the visit, Muizzu is also scheduled to meet President Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour. He will hold further talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz and discuss regional and international developments of mutual interest.
A Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum is also scheduled to bring together business communities from both countries to explore opportunities for trade and investment.
Pakistan and the Maldives maintain close relations based on shared faith, mutual respect and longstanding goodwill. The visit reflects both countries' commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
