ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Hungary on Thursday signed an agreement to abolish visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders of both countries, along with two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of culture and archaeology to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó is visiting Islamabad on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar with a high-level delegation, including 17 businessmen, to explore investment opportunities in the country.
The visit marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, which have enjoyed cooperation in energy, with Hungarian company MOL Group actively investing in Pakistan’s oil and gas exploration sector since the early 2000s.
“We are happy that we were able to sign the agreement of lifting the visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders,” Szijjártó said during a joint news conference with the Pakistani foreign minister.
“We are also proud to be able to sign the agreements about cooperation in the fields of culture and archaeology.”
The Hungarian minister also praised Pakistan’s war against militancy in the region, saying his country valued and appreciated Islamabad’s efforts since they also contributed to Europe’s security.
“Regardless of all huge international efforts, there’s still a big threat of terror stemming from Afghanistan,” he continued. “And this threat of terror comes with the danger of launching of further illegal migratory waves toward Europe.”
Szijjártó’s remarks come at a time when Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in militant violence in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan, prompting security forces to launch intelligence-based operations and blame the administration in Kabul for “facilitating” cross-border attacks by militant outfits, an allegation the Afghan government denies.
Pakistan is also carrying out a deportation drive of “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, citing security reasons. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive that began in November 2023, with over 900,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since.
On the occasion, Dar said the signing of MoUs and the visa agreement would “deepen our government-to-government and people-to-people” connections on regional matters.
This visit marks Islamabad’s push to attract investment from European countries in its priority sectors to achieve sustainable growth after pursuing agreements in trade, energy, tourism, livestock, mining and minerals with regional allies, including Gulf countries in recent months.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Thursday it had launched an emergency response training program for Hajj support staff called Moavineen to equip them with first aid and civil defense skills ahead of this year’s pilgrimage.

The sessions, underway at Islamabad’s Haji Camp, include hands-on instruction in CPR, crowd management and life-saving techniques.

The initiative is part of broader preparations for Hajj 2025, when nearly 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme.

“Expert trainers from Rescue 1122 Islamabad are conducting the sessions, providing hands-on instruction and practical demonstrations to the participants,” the ministry said in a statement.

“All selected Moavineen for this year’s Hajj operations are undergoing the training,” it continued. “The program is designed to equip them with essential life-saving skills and emergency response techniques to ensure the safety and well-being of Pakistani pilgrims during their stay in Saudi Arabia.”

The ministry said the training aims to strengthen the capacity of Moavineen to respond to medical emergencies and other challenges that may arise during the annual pilgrimage, including heat-related illness and large crowd movement.

Pakistan has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025, with the first government-arranged flight to Saudi Arabia scheduled to depart on April 29.

The Hajj rituals are expected to take place between June 4 and June 9, subject to moon sighting.

Authorities have also launched mandatory pre-departure workshops across the country to educate pilgrims on health precautions and Saudi laws and customs during their stay.