Skip to content
Bramble

World

Oman and Pakistan sign visa exemption deal and four MoUs in Islamabad

Oman and Pakistan signed a visa exemption agreement for official passport holders, four MoUs and the minutes of their eighth Joint Ministerial Commission session in Islamabad on 14 October, during Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi's visit.

2 outlets · 0L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Gulf News
Image: Geo News

1 / 2

The story, neutrally told

Centre · 1Oman and Pakistan signed a visa exemption agreement and four memoranda of understanding in Islamabad on Wednesday 14 October, along with the minutes of the eighth session of their Joint Ministerial Committee. Centre · 2The signing took place during a visit by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who is in Pakistan to co-chair the 8th session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received him and witnessed the signing. Centre · 2The visa exemption agreement covers holders of diplomatic, special, service and official passports.

Centre · 2The four MoUs cover telecommunications and information technology, radio and television broadcasting (information and broadcasting), news and information exchange and media cooperation, and records and archives, the last between Oman's National Records and Archives Authority and Pakistan's National Archives. Centre · 2Geo News, citing Prime Minister's Office and Foreign Ministry releases via APP, says Dar and Al Busaidi signed the JMC minutes, the visa agreement and the archives MoU, while Pakistan's federal ministers for information and broadcasting and for IT and telecommunications signed the other three MoUs. Gulf News instead says Al Busaidi signed for Oman and Dar represented Pakistan. Centre · 2Officials said the agreements are a practical step towards institutional cooperation, better coordination and exchange of expertise, and are intended to broaden partnerships and open further avenues for engagement.

Centre · 1In his meeting with Al Busaidi, Shehbaz Sharif cited shared faith, geography, history and culture, called Oman a brotherly country and important maritime neighbour, noted convergence of views on regional and global issues, and praised Muscat's emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy. Al Busaidi thanked Pakistan for its hospitality and appreciated Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets report the signing as routine bilateral cooperation. Gulf News gives a concise agreement-by-agreement account; Geo News, running APP copy, adds the Shehbaz–Al Busaidi meeting and diplomatic language.
Emphasis
Gulf News stresses the scope of the agreements; Geo News stresses fraternal ties, convergence of views and Pakistan's de-escalation efforts.
Leaves out or plays down
Gulf News omits the prime minister's remarks and the role of Pakistan's federal ministers as signatories; neither outlet gives dates for the visa deal to take effect or details of any passport numbers affected.
Charged language
“brotherly country”“practical step”
For example
“Officials said the agreements represented a practical step towards strengthening institutional cooperation” — Gulf News
“He described Oman as a brotherly country, an important maritime neighbour and a valuable partner in a strategically significant region.” — Geo News

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Ask about this story

Loading…