ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said his government wants to work with the UK to improve the quality of education and promote higher studies in Pakistan.

Mr Sharif made these remarks during a meeting with the representatives of leading UK universities at the PM House.

The prime minister welcomed the delegation and emphasised the importance of promoting quality education, saying it was his government’s top priority.

He expressed his commitment to ensuring every child’s access to education and said the federal government was working with the provinces to achieve the goal.

Australian envoy praises bravery of Pakistani guards in Sydney

He praised the UK’s support for Pakistan’s education sector and expressed hope for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of education and trade.

PM Sharif also welcomed the launch of reciprocal degree programmes in UK universities of both countries.

The PM said Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the UK “spanned over decades” and called for more collaboration in the fields of research and technology between the universities of the two countries.

Envoy meets PM

In a separate meeting with the PM, Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins praised the bravery of Pakistani security guards who attempted to tackle the man who fatally stabbed six people in a busy Sydney shopping centre earlier this month.

One Pakistani security guard lost his life, while another was injured during the attack.

The prime minister also invited Australian companies to train their Pakistani counterparts and acknowledged the Pakistani diaspora’s contribution to Australia.

A delegation of the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency, led by its Chairman, Luo Zhaohui, also called on the PM on Tuesday.

The PM acknowledged the agency’s “pivotal role” in bolstering Pakistan’s economic development and commended its “vital support” during the 2022 floods and later for relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2024