ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will attend a two-day special conference of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, beginning Sunday.
According to Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Prime Minister, accompanied by Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, will visit the Kingdom at the request of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab.
She stated that the high-level involvement will allow Pakistan to showcase its interests in regional engagement as well as the balance of growth and energy consumption.
The Prime Minister will also travel to Gambia to attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference, titled Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development, which will be held in Banjul, Gambia’s capital, on May 4-5, 2024.
She stated that the Prime Minister would express Pakistan’s deep concern about the genocide in Gaza, plead for their right to self-determination, the importance of unity, and discuss Islamophobia, terrorism, and the difficulties confronting the Muslim world.
The spokesperson told the media that Pakistan is seeing an increase in aggressive statements from Indian politicians expressing unjustified claims on Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
She stated that Pakistan opposes Indian assertions, which are fueled by hyper-nationalism and inflammatory rhetoric, and that such claims endanger regional peace and security.
She advised Indian politicians to stop dragging Pakistan into internal debates for electoral purposes.
She stated that, notwithstanding Indian rhetoric and declarations, IIOJK remains an internationally recognized disputed territory, with UN Security Council resolutions clearly stating that the final status would be determined by the will of the Kashmiri people via a free vote.
