PAKISTAN ITALY SIGN AGREEMENT TO ABOLISH VISAS FOR DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS
The accord was signed at an elegant ceremony at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome by Pakistan's Ambassador, Ali Javed, and Italian Secretary General for Foreign Affairs, Riccardo Guariglia. Ahead of the signing, the two dignitaries held one-on-one talks, expressing deep satisfaction with the expanding strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Rome, both bilaterally and at international forums like the UN and the EU.
Officials termed the agreement a reflection of mutual trust. This adds to a robust framework of existing pacts, including 21 MoUs between academic institutions and 15 state-level agreements. The historical partnership spans decades—ranging from a 1972 Extradition Treaty and a 1983 Dual Citizenship Agreement, to a critical Labor Mobility MoU signed last year, which opened up over 10,000 Pakistan-specific jobs in Italy.
Looking ahead, Ambassador Javed has extended an invitation to the Italian Secretary General to visit Pakistan later this year for the 7th round of Bilateral Political Consultations. The visit is also expected to mark the inauguration of the newly constructed Italian Embassy in Islamabad—set to become Italy’s largest diplomatic mission overseas.