ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will attend Bahrain’s national day as guest of honor on King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s invitation on Monday, said an official handout circulated by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation on his first visit to the Gulf state since assuming the highest political office of his country in August 2018.
“During the visit, [the prime minister] will have one-on-one meeting with His Majesty Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa and hold delegation-level talks with Crown Prince His Royal Highness Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa,” said the official statement. “The exchange of views would cover the entire gamut of bilateral relations and matters pertaining to regional and international issues.”
Bahrain will also confer its highest civil award on the leader of the South Asian nation.
“Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy close cordial ties based on commonalities of faith and culture and marked by mutual trust and understanding,” the statement added. “The bilateral relationship is broad-based and multifaceted, covering diverse fields … Pakistan and Bahrain closely coordinate in multilateral fora including the UN, OIC and GCC.”
The ministry noted that the two countries had also established institutional mechanisms, including Bilateral Political Consultations and Joint Ministerial Commission, to bolster bilateral cooperation.
“Over 100,000 Pakistani expatriate community, which contributes to the socio-economic development of Bahrain, acts as a strong human bridge between the two countries,” the official handout maintained.
“The Prime Minister’s visit to Bahrain will enable the two sides to explore ways and means to further deepen bilateral trade and investments ties,” the statement continued. “The visit is of special significance and will impart a strong impetus to both sides’ endeavours to forge a closer, multifaceted bilateral relationship.”
Prime Minister Khan to visit Bahrain Today
https://arab.news/g3t5r
Prime Minister Khan to visit Bahrain Today
- Khan will attend the Kingdom’s national day as guest of honor
- He will also receive Bahrain’s highest civil award and interact with its top leadership
Pakistan PM calls PIA privatization ‘vote of confidence’ as government pushes reforms
- The loss-making national flag carrier was sold to a Pakistani consortium for $482 million after two failed attempts
- Finance minister vows to continue economic reforms, engage international partners through trade and investment
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday the privatization of state-owned Pakistan International Airlines marked a “vote of confidence” in the country’s economy, as the government presses ahead with structural reforms aimed at easing pressure on public finances and attracting investment.
The sale of the loss-making national carrier by a Pakistani consortium, which secured a 75 percent stake for Rs135 billion ($482 million), follows two previous attempts to privatize PIA. The development comes as Pakistan seeks to build on macroeconomic stabilization after a prolonged balance-of-payments crisis, with authorities trying to shift the economy toward export-led growth and policy continuity.
“It was our firm commitment to the people of Pakistan that speedy and concrete steps would be taken to privatize loss-making state-owned enterprises that have been a burden on the economy,” Sharif said in a post on X. “The successful completion of the transparent and highly competitive bidding process for the privatization of PIA marks an important milestone in fulfilling that commitment.”
“The strong participation of our leading business groups and some of Pakistan’s most seasoned and respected investors is a powerful vote of confidence in our economy and its future,” he added.
The government has made privatization of state-owned enterprises a key pillar of its reform agenda, alongside changes to taxation, energy pricing and trade policy, as it seeks to stabilize the economy and restore investor confidence.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told an international news outlet Pakistan had reached a critical turning point, with macroeconomic stability and sustained reforms helping shift the economy from stabilization toward growth.
“Macroeconomic stability, sustained reforms and policy continuity are restoring confidence, shifting the economy from stabilization to export-led growth,” he said in an interview with USA Today, according to a statement issued by the finance ministry, adding that the government was opening new opportunities for domestic and global investors.
Aurangzeb said inflation had eased sharply, external balances had improved and foreign exchange reserves had risen above $14.5 billion, while Pakistan had recorded both a primary fiscal surplus and a current account surplus for the first time in several years.
The finance minister noted that economic growth remained insufficient to meet the needs of a fast-growing population, pointing out the importance of continuing structural reforms and encouraging investment in sectors such as agriculture, minerals, information technology and climate resilience.
Despite ongoing risks from global commodity prices, debt pressures and political uncertainty, Aurangzeb said the government remained committed to staying the reform course and engaging international partners through trade and investment.
