Pakistanis in UAE and elsewhere are now allowed to visit Armenia

Dubai: Pakistan and Armenia have formally established diplomatic relations, a historic shift in Islamabad’s foreign policy that officials say could reshape dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar exchanged a Joint Communiqué with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Sunday during a meeting in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the 25th SCO Summit.

Dar posted on X: “Today, H.E. Foreign Minister of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, and I are pleased to sign and exchange a Joint Communiqué establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia. We reaffirmed our commitment to the UN Charter and agreed to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields, including economy, education, culture, and tourism.”

The two leaders pledged to work closely at bilateral and multilateral forums, advancing shared objectives of peace, progress, and prosperity. They also discussed expanding cooperation in trade, education, tourism, and cultural exchange.

This is the first time the two nations have formalised relations. For decades, Pakistan, along with Turkey, firmly sided with Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, while Yerevan aligned itself with India, including in the defence sector.

Analysts view the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, hailed internationally as a breakthrough, as a key enabler of this diplomatic thaw. Islamabad has welcomed the accord, with Dar describing it as a “positive step for regional stability and prosperity.”

The development also carries practical implications for citizens. With ties now formalised, Pakistanis including the large diaspora in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere will now be able to visit Armenia, opening new possibilities for tourism and people-to-people contact.