Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday appreciated Saudi Arabia’s support for the economic revival and stability of Pakistan and apprised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about his government’s economic reforms agenda.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the eighth session of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, where the prime minister is on a two-day official visit, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. It said they discussed ongoing bilateral engagements, especially in light of decisions taken following high-level meetings in Makkah and Riyadh in April.
Sharif, read the statement, emphasized the Gulf kingdom’s central role in Pakistan’s future economic plans. Appreciating Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability in the Middle East, he reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to support the country in these efforts.
Both leaders also exchanged views on regional developments and agreed to coordinate their positions on regional issues. The prime minister also conveyed his best wishes for the health and wellbeing of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
In a separate statement posted on X, Sharif said he had the honor of meeting the Saudi Crown Prince along with his delegation in Saudi Arabia. “Conveyed my deep gratitude for the kingdom’s valuable support to Pakistan in securing the IMF [International Monetary Fund] program,” he said, adding the nations’ ties were historical and time-tested.
“During our very productive talks we reviewed the progress in Pakistan-KSA relations across multiple sectors and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in areas such as trade and investment , culture, innovation, technology, and beyond,” he added.
Seeking global investment
Earlier, addressing the plenary session of the FII, Sharif invited global companies to invest in Pakistan to realize a “future rooted in resilience and shared prosperity.” Stressing that Pakistan was ready to join those who “dare to dream big,” he said no single nation could overcome the prevailing challenges without support.
Emphasizing the importance of knowledge-based economy driven by innovation in domains of artificial intelligence, education and health, the prime minister called for collective global efforts and partnerships to overcome the contemporary challenges. He said he was elated to share that Pakistan was on a transformative journey—a journey of resilience, sacrifice, and a relentless pursuit of stability and growth.
He maintained Pakistan was laying the foundation for a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation in three pivotal domains: artificial intelligence, education, and health. “A.I. is more than a trend; it’s a force revolutionizing economies, societies, and industries. At this critical juncture, Pakistan is not just embracing A.I., we are committed to excelling in it,” he vowed. Sharif said Islamabad’s mission was to encourage young minds to redefine the boundaries of A.I.; train skilled engineers and data scientists as the backbone of A.I. growth; and equip the workforce to harness the power of A.I. across industries.
The prime minister said health was the cornerstone of human advancement and Pakistan’s healthcare sector was home to over 275,000 registered doctors with their youth pioneering new health-tech solutions. With advancements in healthcare standards, they envisioned a future where their doctors and scientists collaborated across borders for a healthier tomorrow, he added.
“Imagine the impact [of] pooling resources in areas like genome sequencing and personalized medicine. With such collaborations, we can redefine the whole healthcare system,” he said.