Islamabad, A meeting of the Pakistan-Rwanda Parliamentary Friendship Group, chaired by Senator Kamran Murtaza, was held at the Parliament House.
Senator Kamran Murtaza, along with Senator Jan Muhammad, Ms. Misbah Khar (Advisor to the Chairman Senate), and senior officials from the Senate Secretariat, warmly welcomed Her Excellency Ms. Harerimana Fatou, High Commissioner of Rwanda.
In his opening remarks, Senator Kamran Murtaza underscored the importance of fostering closer Parliamentary, economic, and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Both sides expressed mutual interest in expanding cooperation in key sectors such as education, health, trade, technology, and agriculture. The group emphasized that regular parliamentary exchanges can serve as a strong foundation for long-term collaboration and people-to-people connectivity.
Supporting these views, Ms. Misbah Khar highlighted the need for institutional collaboration within bilateral and constitutional policy frameworks. She also identified trade, tourism, and cultural exchange as key areas for building a long-term partnership.
H.E Ms. Harerimana Fatou reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to advancing bilateral relations with Pakistan. She stressed the importance of balancing trade by encouraging greater imports from Pakistan. She also addressed the challenges faced by Pakistan nationals seeking to go to Rwanda, whereby they are asked for entry visa by authorities while exiting Pakistan. It should be noted that no visa required for Pakistan Nationals for a stay of 30 days. She added that Rwanda has already extended visa-free entry to Pakistani citizens and requested reciprocal facilitation or necessary steps to ease the process for Rwandan applicants.
Regarding visa issues, two key points must be addressed:
1. Rwandans applying for Pakistani visas are experiencing delays rather than rejections.
2. Pakistani nationals traveling to Rwanda should be aware that no visa is required for stays up to thirty days.
However, Pakistani authorities are still requesting Rwandan entry visas from Pakistani nationals at exit points.
Therefore, it must be clarified that Pakistani passport holders traveling to Rwanda should not be required to present a visa.
Senator Kamran Murtaza identified several promising areas for future collaboration, including artificial intelligence, education, medical equipment, mobility, sports, tourism, and defence training. He shared that various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are currently under consideration and expressed hope that they would be signed soon. He also mentioned that if Rwandan students wish to pursue education in Pakistan, he could request the Chief Minister of Balochistan to allocate a quota for them at the University of Balochistan in Quetta.
H.E. Ms. Harerimana Fatou informed the participants that a Rwandan group is currently in Pakistan for defence training, which is expected to conclude in July, after which another group will be sent. She also shared that Members of the Senate of Pakistan and the National Assembly will soon be formally invited to an upcoming event in Rwanda. The initiative aims to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and deepen mutual understanding between the two nations.
Furthermore, the High Commissioner expressed her country’s interest in seeking Pakistan’s support in the fields of textile industry, information technology (IT), and artificial intelligence (AI), recognizing Pakistan’s expertise and experience in these sectors.
During the meeting, both sides emphasized the urgent need to expedite work on a comprehensive bilateral agreement as well as a treaty on the avoidance of double taxation. They agreed that early progress in these areas would significantly contribute to strengthening economic ties and enhancing bilateral relations.
