NEW YORK – PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with Prince Rahim Aga Khan-V, in which he appreciated the Ismaili community’s longstanding contributions to Pakistan’s socioeconomic development, particularly its tradition of civic engagement and service to society. In the meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister expressed deep appreciation for Prince Rahim’s commitment to sustaining the longstanding friendly and positive relations with Pakistan and reaffirmed the desire to continue working closely with him towards achieving the shared objectives of peace, stability and development.
He warmly welcomed Prince Rahim and fondly recalled their meeting during his visit to Pakistan earlier this year. Prime Minister Shehbaz also appreciated the valuable contributions of Aga Khan Development Network-affiliated institutions towards financial inclusion, tourism promotion, cultural preservation and community-led economic empowerment. Prince Rahim Aga Khan appreciated the prime minister’s warm sentiments and lauded his efforts for regional peace and stability, at a crucial time when the entire region was engulfed by war. The Aga Khan reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthening the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and AKDN. The prime minister invited Prince Rahim to undertake regular visits to Pakistan to further deepen the bonds of friendship and cooperation built over many decades.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said there are great opportunities for investment in Pakistan’s different sectors including agriculture, mines and minerals, IT and AI and Ports and Shipping. He was talking to delegations of the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the US-Pakistan Business Council (USPBC) in New York. The Prime Minister emphasized that Pakistan’s economy is stable and it is moving towards growth. He said we have undertaken massive structural reforms and digitizing the economy. As regards agriculture, he highlighted that production levels can be enhanced with the use of modern technology and machinery. He said God Almighty has also blessed Pakistan with immense natural resources. Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s population is young and the government is doing its best to empower them through IT and AI led initiatives and vocational and skills training. The Prime Minister also alluded to the significant improvement in Pakistan-US relations over the last one year or so. Referring to the Gulf crisis, he said Pakistan is making efforts to facilitate peace efforts. He hoped that with the support of friends and brotherly countries, we will be able achieve long term peace in the region, emphasising this is important for business activities and investment.
