It is quite appreciable and commendable that Pakistan has lately been making concerted and determined efforts to boost, strengthen and deepen its bilateral relations with friendly countries, particularly regional allies.
These efforts are aimed at regaining Pakistan’s important position in the comity of nations and attracting increased investment by showcasing the vast opportunities available in sectors like defence production, agriculture, mining, Information Technology (IT), and energy.
To facilitate this, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was established, acting as a one-window operation to assist both local and foreign investors by saving them from bureaucratic hurdles and offering prompt services.
Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif has played a central role in this strategy. He has been actively visiting regional countries and engaging in bilateral talks with their top leadership, thus promoting mutually beneficial ties. Over the past six weeks alone, he has visited Turkiye, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with more visits expected soon.
The UAE, Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the US, is home to over a million Pakistani expatriates and the second-largest source of remittances after Saudi Arabia. In a brief but significant one-day visit, the Prime Minister met UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional matters in a free and frank manner. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and expressed satisfaction over the growing trajectory of bilateral ties. The Prime Minister also reiterated his invitation to the UAE President to visit Pakistan.
During his stay in Abu Dhabi, the PM addressed Pakistan’s participation in London Tech Week 2025, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to the knowledge economy, digital transformation and youth empowerment. Brisk preparations are underway for the 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission scheduled in Abu Dhabi. Notably, this session is being held after a long hiatus of 13 years, as the 11th session had taken place in Islamabad in November 2013.
Since assuming office for the second time—his first tenure being from April 2022 to August 2023—Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made 52 foreign visits to 16 countries, most of them official. Some countries have been visited more than once, reflecting his determined efforts to restore and elevate Pakistan’s status on the international stage.
These countries include Saudi Arabia, UAE, United Kingdom, Turkiye, Qatar, Uzbekistan, USA (for UNGA sessions), Kazakhstan, China, Egypt, Switzerland, Iran, Azerbaijan, France, Belarus and Tajikistan. These proactive diplomatic efforts are a welcome step toward enhancing regional cooperation, attracting investment, and achieving shared goals of prosperity and stability.
—The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan.
(zahidriffat@gmail.com)