Islamabad: Pakistan and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, including education, migration, trade, and people-to-people exchanges. This agreement was reached during a meeting between Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Italian Ambassador Ms. Marilina Armellin in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan-Italy relations and expanding cooperation in significant areas. The Acting President highlighted the over 75-year-long diplomatic relations between the two nations, rooted in friendship and collaboration at international forums. He expressed gratitude for Italy's support on multilateral platforms and acknowledged the Italian government's hospitality towards more than three hundred thousand Pakistani diaspora members.

Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani also noted the presence of several Italian companies operating in Pakistan, particularly in the pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and railways sectors. He emphasized Pakistan's interest in expanding trade and investment ties with Italy. Additionally, he discussed the need for faster visa processing for Pakistanis traveling to Italy and anticipated an increased quota of skilled workers under the ongoing labour migration program's MoU.

In her remarks, Italian Ambassador Ms. Marilina Armellin affirmed Italy's deep appreciation for its longstanding friendship with Pakistan, noting that Pakistan was among the first countries with which the Italian Republic established diplomatic relations. She shared that in 2025, Italy issued visas to over fifteen thousand Pakistani students for postgraduate and PhD programs at Italian universities.

The Ambassador also addressed Italy's shortage of skilled manpower in fields such as science, IT, and healthcare. She welcomed initiatives by Pakistani universities to offer Italian language courses to improve employment prospects, highlighting the potential for collaborative growth between the two nations.