Shehbaz | Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US President Donald Trump discussed regional security and cooperation along the lines of counter-terrorism, among other matters, as the two met for the first time at the Oval Office in Washington in the early hours of Friday morning, according to a press release from the PM Office. The premier was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, while the US President was joined by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as per an earlier statement from the PM office. PM Shehbaz thanked Trump for “his public endorsement of Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism and stressed the need to further enhance cooperation in security and intelligence,” as the two discussed matters of regional security. The premier described Trump as a “man of peace”, lauding his “sincere” efforts in ending conflicts around the world. PM Shehbaz branded Trump’s style of leadership “bold, courageous and decisive,” and thanked the US president for his role in me...

US President Donald Trump hosted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir at the Oval Office in Washington, DC during the early hours of Friday morning. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after the meeting said. It added that the meeting was held in a pleasant atmosphere. Photos released after the meeting showed both PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir exchanging views with Trump. Trump was also all smiles as he flashed his signature thumbs up sign during a group photo. The meeting, which was closed to the press, was originally slated to begin at 4:30pm Washington time (1:30am PST) but was delayed by approximately 30 minutes as the US president spoke to reporters after signing executive orders. The meeting itself lasted approximately one hour and 20 minutes. Photos from the White House press pool before it began showed PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir waiting pati...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed from London on Monday for New York, where he will lead Pakistan’s delegation at a high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) session. At the UNGA session, PM Shehbaz “will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination,” particularly in India-occupied Kashmir and Palestine, an earlier statement by the Foreign Office (FO) said. “He will also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on the regional security situation, as well as other issues of international concern, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development.” The FO, in its statement, said PM Shehbaz would attend several “high-level events” on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including a moot of “select” Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump. Further, during his visit, he will meet several world leaders and senior UN officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. “He w...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be among the attendees of a meeting of “select” Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump in the coming week on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Sunday. “The prime minister will also participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with US President Trump to exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security,” a statement issued by the FO said. The meeting of Muslim leaders with Trump could be the first instance of PM Shehbaz directly interacting with the US president since the latter assumed the top office in his country in January. Earlier, he met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir in June, marking the first time a US president has hosted Pakistan’s army chief at the White House unaccompanied by senior civilian officials. On his visit to New York, the PM would be leading Pakistan’s delegation to the “high-level segment” ...

A day after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark mutual defence agreement during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, the premier on Thursday expressed gratitude for the “heart-warming welcome” given to him in the Gulf State and shared that his talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman covered regional challenges, as well as enhancing bilateral cooperation. PM Shehbaz reached Riyadh for a day-long visit yesterday where he and Crown Prince Salman signed the ’Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement’ at the Al-Yamamah Palace in the Saudi capital. “Deeply touched by the heart warming welcome, accorded to me by my dear brother HRH (His Royal Highness) Prince Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia, on my official visit to Riyadh. “From the unprecedented escort provided to my aircraft by the Royal Saudi air force jets to the smartly turned out guard of the Saudi armed forces, this welcome reception speaks volumes about the abiding love and mutual respect between Pa...

Shehbaz calls for Islamic task force on Israel

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Saturday to continue responding to terrorism in the country with “full force” after 19 soldiers were martyred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) earlier said that 12 soldiers were martyred while security forces killed 13 terrorists during an intense fire exchange in KP’s South Waziristan district. It added that the 13 terrorists were among 35 “khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij” killed in two separate engagements from September 10 to 13. It later said seven more soldiers were martyred and 10 more terrorists were killed on Thursday in Lower Dir. The state uses the term Fitna al Khwarij to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It has also designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Radio Pakistan reported that PM Shehbaz and Chief of Army Staff Field Marsha...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that Pakistan will host the next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, stating that authorities need to start preparing. This development comes less than a fortnight after the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where Pakistan raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty and a joint declaration was issued condemning the attacks on the Jaffar Express, Khuzdar and Pahalgam. Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, the PM made the announcement and stated that authorities had to start preparing for the incoming dignitaries. He did not give a date for the summit. “We have to start preparing now,” the PM said.“ We need to build accommodation and beautify Islamabad. Tajikistan gave us saplings as a gift. Chairman CDA (Capital Development Authority) and his team are working day and night [to plant them].“ Pakistan last hosted the SCO in 2024 for the Council of Heads of Government Summit, where PM Shehbaz called for investing in the region’s collective capacity for conne...

In a meeting with the Qatari emir on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged unity in the Muslim world to confront Israeli provocations following Tel Aviv’s recent airstrikes targeting residential areas in Doha. PM Shehbaz reached Doha today on a one-day visit, where he met Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to express solidarity and regional unity after the attacks, state media reported. “The prime minister emphasised that Israel’s ongoing aggression in the Middle East must be stopped and the Muslim world needs unity in its ranks to confront Israeli provocations,” according to a statement by state broadcaster PTV on X. The statement said the prime minister strongly condemned the Israeli attack as a “blatant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stated that the leadership and people of Pakistan were deeply concerned about the attack, which was contrary to international laws. “Reaffirming the historical and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar, the prime min...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed on Thursday to work together on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC) second phase in a meeting that the former termed “most productive” as business firms inked 21 memorandums of understanding (MoUs). Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties that span various sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure. PM Shehbaz is currently on a six-day visit to China, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held from August 31-September 1. “Both sides also agreed to continue working closely on the next phase of upgraded CPEC 2.0, with its five new corridors,” said a statement today by the Press Information Department (PID) following the meeting in Beijing. The prime minister highlighted the “significant contribution” of the CPEC in Pakistan’s socio-economic development in the past decade. He also stressed the need for early implementation of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) rail...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to further enhance the bilateral ties and cooperation between their countries in diverse fields. In recent years, Russia and Pakistan have engaged in strengthening bilateral ties with each other. In July, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said Islamabad and Moscow were “natural allies”. On June 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a meeting with PM’s aide Syed Tariq Fatemi, reaffirmed Russia’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan, following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last September on multi-sector collaboration. The meeting between the two leaders took place in Beijing today amid their visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of States (CHS) summit a day ago. Addressing the Russian president, PM Shehbaz said: “Relations between the two countries have improved in recent years due to your personal commitment and interest.” He expressed the resolv...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday raised the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) issue at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit in China and called for a “structural” dialogue on all outstanding disputes. PM Shehbaz arrived in China on Saturday to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit held from August 31 to September 1. Besides Pakistan, the SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. “We respect all international and bilateral treaties and expect similar principles to be followed by all SCO members,” PM Shehbaz said at the summit today, in an apparent reference to fellow SCO member India and its unilateral move to hold the IWT in abeyance in April. “Uninterrupted access to due share of water as per existing treaties among SCO members will strengthen the SCO working smoothly and will support the achievement of broader goals for which the SCO was establis...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that all the endeavours and initiatives of the current government of Pakistan closely aligned with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision and philosophy that were anchored in progress and prosperity of the Chinese nation. PM Shehbaz arrived in China yesterday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) two-day Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit, according to the Foreign Office (FO). Addressing students and faculty members of Tianjin University today, the premier urged the Pakistani students currently studying there to gain the latest knowledge and technology with sheer commitment and hard work. In his address, which was also broadcast on national TV channels, the prime minister said that Pakistan fully supported President Xi’s philosophy and vision. He noted that the Chinese leadership had “inspiring” strategic long-term planning for the progress of the country while keeping the welfare of its people at heart. “President Xi’s visionary leadership con...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday he looked forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping along with other world leaders as he arrived in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also touched down on his first visit after a seven-year gap. The SCO summit, to be held in the northern port city of China’s Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, will gather more than 20 world leaders in a powerful show of Global South solidarity, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. PM Shehbaz arrived in Tianjin with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. Terming his visit “historic”, PM Shehbaz said on X today: “I look forward to meeting H.E. President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to further build upon our bilateral t...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that he will convene a meeting over the illegal constructions on rivers soon, as monsoon rains caused catastrophic floods in northern parts of the country. Record rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc on different parts of the province. Last week, the provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond with the death toll at 393. Speaking during a federal cabinet meeting today, PM Shehbaz said, “I will call a meeting over the illegal constructions on rivers, such as hotels, restaurants and houses.” He highlighted the concerns over such structures, which reflected “catastrophic beauty”, and over the cutting of trees in Galiyat, where plazas and houses have been constructed. “There is no room for man-made disasters,” he said, adding that the meeting will be called on an all-Pakistan basis to discuss the...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with China across various areas including trade, investment, ICT, agriculture, industrialization, mines and minerals, and other critical sectors. He made these remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who called on him in Islamabad. The prime minister highlighted […]

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday inaugurated a special economic zone (SEZ) in Islamabad to be set up by a Chinese textile group — projected to generate exports worth $400 million for the country, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Pakistan has held strong bilateral relations with China, which has supported it through many investments and development projects, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which, currently in its second phase, has been termed a “lifeline” for the country’s economy. The phase II of the program is expected to focus on industrialisation, spe­c­ial economic zones, clean ene­rgy, agriculture and livelihood projects. PM Shehbaz welcomed the establishment of an SEZ, saying that the “initiative would facilitate technology transfer, skill development, and sustainable industrial growth”. The project will be set up by the Chinese textile group Challenge Fashion Private Limited, which is set to invest $100m over five years in the project. PM Shehbaz met with the compa...

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the inordinate delay in the K-IV water project, saying he had expected the premier to demonstrate the same speed and efficiency in Karachi as he does in Lahore. Launched in the early 2000s to ease Karachi’s water woes, the K-IV project has faced repeated delays and cost hikes. With just Rs3.2 billion allocated against the Rs40bn needed, officials fear completion could be pushed back another decade. Addressing an inauguration ceremony of a new canal for Karachi from Hub Dam, Bilawal said: “The K4 project, we had hoped for Shehbaz speed, but Karachi got Shehbaz slow. This cannot happen that Lahore gets Shehbaz speed and Karachi gets Shehbaz slow, so I will especially request the prime minister to complete the promises as quickly as possible regarding the K4 and this city.” Bilawal was referring to the famed ‘Punjab speed’, a term coined to describe PM Shehbaz’s swift and efficient governance as chief minister of Punja...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday warned India that any attempt to block Pakistan’s water in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty would be met with a decisive response. “You threaten to stop our water. If you attempt such a move, Pakistan will teach you a lesson you will never forget,” the Prime Minister […]

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday evening received a telephone call from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who expressed his appreciation for Pakistan’s consistent support on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, a statement from the PM’s office said. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed an initial US-brokered peace agreement during a meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday, a deal aimed at boosting economic ties between the two countries after decades of conflict, the White House said. The PM on Saturday hailed US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts following his role in brokering the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal, congratulating both countries on “charting a course for a peaceful future for their region” and stating: “Pakistan has always stood by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and we stand with them at this proud moment of their history.” In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said that he had a phone call with Aliyev, where he conveyed warm felicitations to him and the people of Azerbaijan on the peace deal. “L...