Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for expanded cooperation with Syria across multiple sectors and invited Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to visit the South Asian country as Islamabad seeks to strengthen ties with Damascus, Report informs via Anadolu.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met Sharif in Islamabad, where the Pakistani premier welcomed the Syrian delegation and conveyed his best wishes to President al-Sharaa, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister"s Office.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Syria's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, including its position on the Golan Heights.
Recalling the longstanding ties between the two countries, Sharif called for stronger cooperation in politics, defense, trade, investment, education and human resource development.
He also said restoring direct flights between Pakistan and Syria would boost people-to-people contacts and facilitate visits by Pakistani pilgrims to Syria.
Al-Shaibani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday night for a two-day visit, his first to Pakistan since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.
He conveyed greetings from al-Sharaa and briefed Sharif on Syria"s political transition and reconstruction efforts.
Al-Shaibani thanked Pakistan for its continued support and expressed Damascus' interest in revitalizing bilateral engagement through institutional mechanisms at an early stage.