Pakistan PM to join dialogue panel, meet global leaders at World Economic Forum

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. (Reuters/ file)
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Updated 21 January 2026
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Pakistan PM to join dialogue panel, meet global leaders at World Economic Forum

  • Sharif to address Pakistan breakfast event and attend informal world leaders’ meeting in Davos
  • Deputy PM Ishaq Dar inaugurates Pakistan Pavilion to display start-ups and investment potential

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to step up Pakistan’s engagement at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, participating in a panel discussion on dialogue in an increasingly divided world and meeting international leaders and heads of global institutions.

Sharif flew to Switzerland a day earlier to attend the WEF’s 56th annual meeting.

The WEF brings together heads of state, senior government officials, business executives and leaders of international organizations to discuss global economic, political and social challenges.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will have a busy day in Davos today,” his office said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon.

“The prime minister will attend a Pakistan breakfast event and will also address the gathering,” it added. “He will take part in an informal meeting of world leaders this year themed ‘The Importance of Dialogue in a Divided Global Landscape.’”

On the sidelines of the WEF, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is accompanying Sharif, inaugurated the Pathfinder Group’s Pakistan Pavilion, describing it as a platform to project Pakistan’s economic potential and the growing role of innovation-driven enterprises.

“He underscored the critical role of start-ups in advancing socio-economic development and driving innovation across diverse sectors,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the government remained committed to supporting entrepreneurs, particularly youth-led ventures.

Pakistan’s participation at the WEF comes as Islamabad seeks to sustain recent economic stabilization and attract investment by engaging directly with policymakers, business leaders and international institutions at the annual gathering.
 


Pakistan forms committee to negotiate financial advisory services for Islamabad airport privatization

Updated 18 February 2026
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Pakistan forms committee to negotiate financial advisory services for Islamabad airport privatization

  • Committee to engage Asian Development Bank to negotiate terms of financial advisory services agreement, says privatization ministry
  • Inaugurated in 2018, Islamabad airport has faced criticism over construction delays, poor facilities and operational inefficiencies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Privatization Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has formed a committee to engage the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to negotiate a potential financial advisory services agreement for the privatization of Islamabad International Airport.

The Islamabad International Airport, inaugurated in 2018 at a cost of over $1 billion, has faced criticism over construction delays, poor facilities, and operational inefficiencies.

The Negotiation Committee formed by the Privatization Commission will engage with the ADB to negotiate the terms of a potential Financial Advisory Services Agreement (FASA) for the airport’s privatization, the ministry said. 

“The Negotiation Committee has been mandated to undertake negotiations and submit its recommendations to the Board for consideration and approval, in line with the applicable regulatory framework,” the Privatization Ministry said in a statement. 

The ministry said Islamabad airport operations will be outsourced under a concession model through an open and competitive process to enhance its operational efficiency and improve service delivery standards. 

Pakistan has recently sought to privatize or outsource management of several state-run enterprises under conditions agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a $7 billion bailout approved in September last year.

Islamabad hopes outsourcing airport operations will bring operational expertise, enhance passenger experience and restore confidence in the aviation sector.

In December 2025, Pakistan’s government successfully privatized its national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), selling 75 percent of its stakes to a consortium led by the Arif Habib Group. 

The group secured a 75 percent stake in the PIA for Rs135 billion ($482 million) after several rounds of bidding, valuing the airline at Rs180 billion ($643 million).

Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said this week the government has handed over 26 state-owned enterprises to the Privatization Commission.