Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of the ninth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh.
The prime minister, who is visiting Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the crown prince, is leading a high-level Pakistani delegation during the trip.
The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Prime Minister’s Aides Tariq Fatemi and Bilal Bin Saqib, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
A statement issued on day X by the state broadcaster PTV News He said the meeting with the Saudi crown prince took place in a “cordial atmosphere.”
“Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. The joint statement of the meeting on discussions on promotion of trade, investment and cooperation in various sectors between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be issued shortly,” the statement said, adding that the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Dar, COAS Munir and senior cabinet members of both sides.
Prime Minister Shehbaz earlier arrived at King Khalid International Airport, where he was received by Riyadh Deputy Governor Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq.
The Prime Minister left for Riyadh from Lahore today.
The invitation to the conference, signed by the crown prince, was delivered to Prime Minister Shehbaz in August by the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malky.
FII9 will convene global leaders, investors, policymakers and innovators to explore the theme “The key to prosperity: unlocking new frontiers of growth.” Thematic discussions will address global challenges and opportunities, focusing on key themes such as innovation, sustainability, economic inclusion and geopolitical changes.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) said in a statement yesterday that during his visit, the prime minister would engage with Saudi leaders to explore avenues for greater cooperation in the sectors of trade, investment, energy and human resources.
“Discussions will also cover regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern,” he added.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister will also interact with leaders of other participating countries and heads of international organizations.
The FO said these exchanges would highlight Pakistan’s investment potential and its willingness to seek collaborations in sustainable development, in line with the “Think, Exchange and Act” model.
