Both Egypt and Pakistan have a close nationalist bond, the two nations were founded as modern nation-states in an era of nationalism, with a pre-dominant Muslim population. Modern Egypt regards its founder as Muhammad Ali of Egypt while Muhammad Ali Jinnah is regarded as Pakistan's founder.
History
Antiquity
Map showing the distribution of Achaemenid tax revenues, according to the Greek historian Herodotus
Egypt and Pakistan have had political, commercial and cultural relations since antiquity, including long-lasting trade through the Red Sea-Indian Ocean maritime routes and conquest by the Persians, Alexander the Great and Arabs. The ancient Greeks commented that the people living along the Indus River were most similar to ancient Egyptians in appearance.[citation needed]
Modern Relations
Egypt and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1951.[1] In the 1950s, Pakistan became part of the Baghdad pact and cento, with its pro western foreign diplomacy which led to harsh frictions with Egypt. However, later relations improved quickly.[5]
During the 1967 and 1973 wars, Pakistan and sent Egypt military aide, technicians, and personnel to aid the Egyptian military at war with Israel.[citation needed]
During war Egypt war with Israel, Pakistan Army sent weapons and fighter planes to Egypt.
In 1974, President of EgyptAnwar Sadat visited Pakistan to attend the second OIC meeting held in Lahore, Punjab, and generally supported Pakistan's plans to become a nuclear power. But the relations with Pakistan deteriorated when Pakistan initiated ties with the former Soviet Union.[6] The worsening of relations of Pakistan with the United States further played a key role.[6]
In May 2023, Pakistan praised Egypt for boycotting a G20 tourism meeting held by India in Kashmir.[8]
1995 Egyptian embassy bombing
In 1995, a disastrous car bombing took place in Islamabad that targeted the Egyptian Embassy which the Egyptian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for. A massive manhunt was initiated by ISI and all assailants were arrested in 2001 and were extradited to Egypt.[1]
Military relations
The Pakistani and Egyptian military maintain close relations in the fields of defence production,[9] and the two nations frequently maintain contacts of high-level delegations of military chiefs, in a meeting with Raheel Sharif, Egypt's president affirmed his wish to further promote military co-operation with Pakistan.[10]
Economic relations
Egypt and Pakistan have agreed to enhance the existing level of co-operation between the two countries which include economic and commercial relations, investment opportunities, co-operation in public and civil services, health sector, agriculture, and postal, both countries would further enhance their co-operation in the alternative energy sector particularly wind power generation.[1][11]
There are over 700 Pakistanis living in Egypt, mainly in Cairo and Alexandria. Relations are helped by the fact that both states have Muslim majorities and there is a strong people-to-people contact between both countries.[1]
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