ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his Palestinian counterpart on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos on Wednesday, state media reported as Islamabad eyes increasing engagement with global leaders, policymakers and business executives at the international stage.
Sharif arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday to attend the WEFs 56th annual meeting, which brings together heads of state, senior government officials, business executives and leaders of international organizations to discuss global economic, political and social challenges.
In a video uploaded by the state-run Pakistan TV Digital, Sharif is stopped by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa as he walks by. Mustafa introduces himself and shakes Sharif's hand during the brief exchange between the two.
"Thank you for your support," Mustafa can be heard telling Sharif in the video, who exchanges pleasantries with his Palestinian counterpart.
Pakistan has consistently supported Palestine over the past two years at international forums such as the UN Security Council and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation during Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed thousands of Palestinian people, including women and children.
Islamabad has increasingly called on international powers to intervene and ensure the fragile ceasefire in Palestine upholds and Israel is held accountable for its "war crimes" in Gaza.
The South Asian country has also sent dispatched several consignments of relief items for Gaza and has engaged with other countries to ensure peace in the Middle East.
On Sharif's WEF engagements, his office said in an earlier statement that he will attend a breakfast event and will also address the gathering there on Wednesday.
He will take part in an informal meeting of world leaders this year themed ‘The Importance of Dialogue in a Divided Global Landscape,'" the PM's Office said.
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.
