KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 4): Malaysia will import 100,000 tonnes of basmati rice, as well as buy US$200 million worth of halal meat annually from Pakistan, according to state news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that Pakistan would not compromise on the quality of halal meat to be exported, the APP reported late on Thursday (Oct 3). Anwar will “address the discrepancies in the import of Pakistan’s rice” into Malaysia, he reportedly said.

The meeting between Anwar and Shehbaz also discussed the enhancement of trade and investment, as well as explored avenues of further cooperation in defence, tourism, agriculture, green energy, skilled labour and youth empowerment, the news agency said.

Anwar’s visit to Pakistan marks his first official visit since taking office in November 2022, and the first official meeting between the two prime ministers.

Malaysia already has a free trade agreement with Pakistan. Total trade between the two countries stood at RM7.84 billion in 2023, covering palm oil, apparel, textiles, chemical and chemical-based products, and electrics and electronic products.

Pakistan was Malaysia’s 35th largest trading partner, 31st largest export destination, and 41st largest import source. Pakistan is also Malaysia’s third largest trading partner among the South Asian countries.

“Both sides were unanimous in believing that the two countries would collectively find new heights in trade and investment cooperation for a bright future for [the] two nations,” the APP reported Shehbaz as saying.

Anwar meanwhile was cited by the APP as saying that Malaysia and Pakistan have agreed on “a number of matters”, and that follow-up discussions would be held in the upcoming joint commission meeting in Kuala Lumpur this month, to ensure swift implementation of the decisions.

The Malaysian trade office would also be opened in Karachi soon, to strengthen economic collaboration between the two countries, Anwar was cited as saying by the APP at a joint press stakeout, following their one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks.

Malaysia is seeking more skilled labour in various sectors, including information technology (IT), artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors, and Pakistan could also be a source for such skilled labour, Anwar reportedly said.

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