ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan applauded Facebook for investing in Pakistan and supporting its digital literacy initiatives in a virtual meeting with the company’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on Friday, reported Radio Pakistan.

During the conversation, Khan recognized the immense potential of digital platforms like Facebook while encouraging the social media giant to expand its footprint in Pakistan.

Praising Facebook for its investment and programs in the country, he observed that the company could make it easier for Pakistani youth and entrepreneurs to benefit from global opportunities.

Pakistan has been trying to secure foreign investment to strengthen its economy. The government particularly wants technology firms and e-commerce platforms to penetrate the market.

The Prime Minister raised concerns about the global rise in hate speech and extremism while emphasizing the importance of fighting such trends online.

He also discussed Facebook’s SheMeansBusiness Program, an initiative under which the company is training some 6,700 women across Pakistan.

Sandberg and Khan previously met at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January this year where the prime minister encouraged the social media giant to engage more with the Pakistani market and invest in it.