Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an immediate halt to the ongoing violence in Gaza, and made it clear that lasting prosperity and progress would be unreachable without peace in the Middle East.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the prime minister said that conflict in Gaza had escalated into a humanitarian disaster. “The dream of a prosperous, interconnected world would remain out of reach without stability and peace in Gaza,” he told global leaders in attendance.
Aid suspension
State-run Associated Press of Pakistan also reported that Shehbaz Sharif later condemned Israel’s actions that hinder the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from delivering much-needed aid to Palestinians in occupied territories. The news wire quoted the premier as saying in a social media post that Israel’s deliberate prevention of relief efforts was a “blatant violation” of international humanitarian law and the principles of the UN Charter. He also urged the global community to take a stand and hold Israel accountable for these actions against helpless Palestinian civilians.
It may be mentioned here that since the start of the Gaza conflict, Pakistan has consistently raised the issue at key international platforms such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and various other global forums. In addition to these diplomatic efforts, Pakistan has provided extensive humanitarian aid to Gaza. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) recently sent its 17th relief shipment to support those affected in both Gaza and Lebanon. The government has also opened a special “Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon” to encourage donations for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, at the conference, Shehbaz Sharif invited global leaders in business and finance to invest in Pakistan’s growing sectors, especially healthcare, education, and technology. He informed them about Pakistan’s commitment to a transformative, knowledge-based economy, and added that the country was open to international collaborations. He also make a point that it was impossible for a single country to harness tomorrow’s potential by working alone. He said Pakistan wishes to become a leader in artificial intelligence. The country is encouraging talent in engineering and data science to build a skilled workforce capable of integrating artificial intelligence across industries, he said.
It may be noted here that the annual summit, which attracted some of the world’s leading figures in business and finance, provides countries with a platform to explore investment opportunities with Saudi Arabia’s prominent companies and its $925 billion sovereign wealth fund. Other than education, healthcare, sustainability, and finance, this year’s forum is especially focused on global cooperation in sectors like artificial intelligence and robotics.
Bilateral meeting
After the summit’s first day, Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where the two leaders discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation and reviewed progress on decisions made in previous high-level meetings held in Makkah and Riyadh earlier this year. The premier thanked the Kingdom’s support in Pakistan’s economic recovery and stability, and assured the Saudi leadership supporting the Kingdom’s efforts to promote peace across the Middle East. He also shared Pakistan’s economic reform agenda with the Crown Prince, who in turn pledged cooperation on regional issues.
Later in the evening, the Saudi Crown Prince hosted a dinner reception where Shehbaz Sharif had further discussions with other dignitaries on strengthening Pakistan-Saudi relations.