Syrian FM Asaad al-Shaibani due in Islamabad today

Islamabad: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is set to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday for a two-day official visit, marking the first such visit by a Syrian foreign minister in nearly two decades. The two nations aim to resume political, economic, and security cooperation during the meeting. Mr Shaibani is scheduled to engage in discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as well as address Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He will also meet ministers for defense and commerce, according to AFP. The visit, planned for August 19-20, occurs as Syria’s transitional leadership focuses on regional and international engagement following the removal of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. A diplomatic source told AFP that Mr Shaibani was invited by Pakistan’s leadership, and expressed optimism that the visit would signify a "historic milestone for bilateral cooperation".

While no formal framework exists for extensive cooperation between the two countries at present, discussions are anticipated to encompass defense, economic collaboration, reconciliation efforts, regional developments, and security issues in the Middle East. This visit would represent the first by a Syrian foreign minister since Walid al-Mouallem’s trip to Pakistan in May 2007, and the first since the change of government in Damascus.