RIYADH: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met on the sideline of the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Monday. It was the first in-person meeting of both prime ministers since Shehbaz Sharif’s re-election in March.
Although they had previously spoken twice over the phone, notably on March 4, 2024, upon the Prime Minister’s assumption of office, and again on April 10, 2024, during Eid ul Fitr.
During their meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership and expressed admiration for his knowledge of art and literature, particularly his familiarity with the works of Pakistan’s national poet, Allama Iqbal.
Both leaders reminisced about the historical ties between Pakistan and Malaysia, particularly in education, science, technology, and trade, and pledged to further strengthen cooperation in these areas.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an invitation to a trade and business delegation from Malaysia to visit Pakistan for discussions aimed at bolstering trade and investment ties between the two nations. Additionally, they agreed to schedule the next Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Islamabad at the earliest opportunity.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his invitation for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to undertake an official visit to Pakistan later this year.
