KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah told Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Wednesday that he was looking forward to visiting Pakistan since a huge Pakistani community was working in Kuwait and making valuable contributions to its economy.

During bilateral discussions held here on the sidelines of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit, the prime minister expressed the hope that the Kuwaiti leader would provide an opportunity to the government and the people of Pakistan to reciprocate the hospitality extended to him.

Sheikh Sabah said relations between the two countries had been smooth, friendly, close and brotherly.

During another meeting, Prime Minister Ashraf invited Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah to visit Pakistan. The king accepted the invitation.

He termed Pakistan his second home and thanked the government and people of the country for their support.

The prime minister said Pakistan attached great importance to and was keen to strengthen its relations with Bahrain.

The two countries enjoyed close, cordial and friendly relations based on mutual trust and understanding, he said.

Prime Minister Ashraf commended King Hamad’s endeavour to promote understanding among various segments of society and resolve the problems of his people through dialogue.

The Pakistani diaspora was significantly contributing to the development and progress in Bahrain in public and private sectors, he said.

He thanked the kingdom for taking care of the 65,000-strong Pakistani community.

The prime minister said economic and trade relations between the two countries had been steadily improving, but were well below their real potential and it was the need of the hour to improve them by making use of existing opportunities.

He stressed the importance of consultations and meetings of the joint ministerial commission that were long overdue.

The prime minister said Pakistan had been working for an early conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council and expressed the desire to strengthen defence cooperation.

The prime minister returned to Islamabad in the evening after his three-day official visit to Kuwait.—APP