Today marks the formal start of Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi’s three-day visit to Pakistan, which will take place in Islamabad.
Since the elections on February 8, this is the first visit by a foreign leader. The United States is keeping a tight eye on the visit, but sources say it has nothing to do with the simmering animosity between Iran and Israel.
Along with his spouse, the Iranian president will be joined by a delegation made up of top officials, the foreign minister, cabinet members, and a sizable business delegation.
Raisi will meet with Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and President Asif Ali Zardari during his visit. In order to engage with the provincial authorities, he will also go to Lahore and Karachi.
The two sides will talk about a broad agenda to improve commerce, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people interactions, in addition to fortifying ties between Iran and Pakistan. Leaders from both parties will also talk about bilateral collaboration to counter the shared danger of terrorism as well as regional and worldwide events.
The Iranian president will be greeted by Minister of Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada upon his arrival in the nation’s capital. Following delegation-level discussions between PM Shehbaz and Raisi in the PM Office, multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) will be signed by the parties. Additionally, the premier will celebrate the visiting dignitary with a luncheon.
At Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Zardari will meet his Iranian counterpart and throw a banquet in his honour. Raisi is scheduled to visit Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Governor Balighur Rehman in Lahore.
He is also expected to go to the shrine of Allama Iqbal. The Iranian leader will next head to Karachi, where he will have meetings with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Kamran Tessori. Raisi will also pay his respects to Pakistan’s founding father at Quaid’s tomb in Karachi.
The foreign leader will remain in Karachi until Wednesday, when he returns to Tehran. Due to the high-profile visit, the province authorities are extremely vigilant, and April 23 has been designated as a public holiday in Karachi.
