Islamabad, August 4, 2026: Pakistan and Spain on Tuesday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in higher education, agriculture, human development, sports and cultural exchanges during a meeting between Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal and Spain’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Carlos Aragon.
The meeting focused on strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries through greater collaboration in education, research, innovation and sustainable development.
Both sides discussed expanding academic cooperation through a proposed memorandum of understanding between the University of Narowal and the University of Granada. The proposed partnership aims to promote joint research initiatives, faculty and student exchange programmes, and institutional collaboration between the two universities.
During the meeting, Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the Al-Andalus-inspired architecture of the University of Narowal as a symbol of the shared historical and cultural heritage linking Pakistan and Spain.
The minister also invited Ambassador Carlos Aragon to visit Kartarpur Sahib to promote interfaith harmony, cultural understanding and religious tourism.
The two sides explored opportunities for Spanish cooperation in olive cultivation, agribusiness, value addition and agricultural technology, particularly in Balochistan, the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Potohar region.
Emphasising the importance of developing Pakistan’s olive sector, Ahsan Iqbal said expanding olive cultivation would contribute to food security while reducing the country’s dependence on imported palm oil.
The meeting also discussed potential collaboration between Pakistan, Spain and UNICEF in organising the next International Conference on Early Childhood Development in Pakistan. The minister extended an invitation to Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain to participate in the conference.
Ambassador Carlos Aragon appreciated Pakistan’s hospitality and reaffirmed Spain’s interest in further strengthening bilateral engagement across multiple sectors.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to advancing a forward-looking partnership based on knowledge sharing, innovation, sustainable development and stronger people-to-people connections.
