President Asif Ali Zardari received the credentials of Ambassador-designate of Italy Ugo Ciarlatani and Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Korea Han Sungho in Islamabad on Wednesday. The diplomatic engagements at Aiwan-e-Sadr focused on expanding trade, development cooperation, and strengthening bilateral ties across multiple sectors.
Pakistan-Italy Relations and Economic Ties
During the meeting with Ambassador Ciarlatani, President Zardari expressed confidence that the new envoy’s tenure would contribute to further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Italy. According to the President Secretariat Media Wing, the president noted steady growth in trade and investment, highlighting that bilateral trade has surpassed the one-billion-dollar mark. The discussions also covered the recent signing of an agreement on the abolition of visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders.
Beyond commerce, President Zardari expressed appreciation for Italy’s support of Pakistan’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2025-26 term. He also emphasized the role of the Pakistani community in Italy, describing them as an important bridge between the two nations.
Multidimensional Cooperation with South Korea
In his meeting with Ambassador Han Sungho, President Zardari stated that Pakistan attaches great importance to its multidimensional relationship with the Republic of Korea. According to the President Secretariat Media Wing, the president expressed a desire to further expand trade and investment ties, pointing to ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
Both sides discussed broader areas of cooperation, including climate change, development, and defence. President Zardari expressed hope that collaboration between Pakistan and South Korea would continue to grow in sectors such as shipbuilding, technology, and economic development. Additional coverage from nation.com.pk notes that Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs were present during the meetings.
Diplomatic Outreach to Libya
In a related diplomatic development on the same day, President Zardari met with Pakistan’s Ambassador-Designate to Libya, Maj. Gen. (R) Mumtaz Hussain, at Aiwan-e-Sadr. According to dailybusinessnews.pk, the president asked the incoming ambassador to work toward strengthening high-level political engagement and expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Pakistan and Libya.
President Zardari emphasized the scope for enhanced collaboration in defence, energy, information technology, healthcare, education, agriculture, and human resource development. He also stressed the importance of increasing interaction between the business communities of both countries and highlighting investment opportunities under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). According to the same source, the president stated that Pakistan would continue to support Libya’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, while urging the ambassador-designate to prioritize the welfare of the Pakistani community in Libya and maintain cooperation at multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the OIC.