Pakistan and Italy have agreed to abolish visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports under a new bilateral accord signed in Rome.

The agreement was signed at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Pakistan’s Ambassador Ali Javed and Italian Foreign Affairs Secretary General Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, according to an official statement.

Prior to the signing ceremony, both sides held detailed discussions reviewing the full scope of bilateral relations as well as cooperation at multilateral forums including the United Nations and the European Union.

Both countries expressed satisfaction with the pace and depth of their strategic engagement, describing it as expanding and increasingly productive.

Officials said the agreement would facilitate smoother exchanges of diplomatic delegations and further strengthen institutional cooperation between the two sides, reflecting mutual trust and long-standing friendly ties.

Pakistan and Italy already maintain extensive cooperation through 15 government-to-government agreements covering areas such as culture, tourism, science and technology, defence studies, sports, and counter-narcotics, along with 21 memoranda of understanding between academic and research institutions.

Existing frameworks include a Defence Cooperation Agreement (2009), a Strategic Engagement Plan (2013), and a Joint Economic Commission established in 2005. Earlier agreements also include the Investment Protection Treaty (1997), Dual Citizenship Agreement (1983), and Extradition Treaty (1972).

In addition, both countries signed an MoU on labour mobility in May 2025, under which Italy committed to facilitating around 10,500 job opportunities for Pakistani workers.

Pakistan has also invited Italy to hold the next round of bilateral political consultations in 2026 and expressed interest in formally opening Italy’s new embassy building in Islamabad, described as its largest diplomatic mission abroad.