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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has urged efforts to enhance trade and investment with Oman, ahead of Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) talks between the two countries.

Dar gave the directives at an inter-ministerial meeting to finalize Pakistan’s agenda for the 8th Session of the Pakistan–Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) talks, being held in Islamabad next week.

The development comes as Pakistan, currently navigating a path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, tries to attract foreign investment, particularly from the Gulf region, to stabilize its finances.

Participants of Friday’s interministerial meeting reviewed progress across all key areas of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Oman, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.

“The Deputy Prime Minister underscored the importance of accelerating MoUs in key sectors, deepening cooperation in education, logistics, and consular affairs, and aligning efforts to boost exports and employment opportunities,” the ministry said.

Pakistan and Oman maintain steady trade relations, focused on oil, gas, textiles, food products, and fisheries. Oman is a key supplier of energy to Pakistan, while Pakistan exports rice, textiles and agricultural goods.

Last month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Oman’s General Sultan Mohammed Al Nu’amani, a minister of the country’s Royal Office, and discussed with him bilateral relations and resolution of visa-related issues.

Pakistan has sought to resolve visa-related issues with several countries in recent months, hoping to send more Pakistani workers abroad. Skilled and unskilled laborers from Pakistan send remittances to their relatives back home, which are vital for the cash-strapped nation.