ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after concluding his two-day official visit to the kingdom, where the two sides agreed to launch Economic Cooperation Framework aimed at elevating bilateral relations to a new era of strategic economic partnership.

During the visit, PM She­­­hbaz also addressed the 9th edition of the Fut­ure Investment Initiative Conference besides holding meetings with heads of states and global business leaders.

In his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the two sides agreed to launch economic framework, seeking to strengthen the role of both public and private sectors in promoting joint ventures.

Under the framework, several strategic and high-impact initiatives are being explored in sectors including energy, industry, mining and information technology

At the confere­nce, PM Shehbaz called for cooper­ation to support countries like Pakistan that have been battered by climate catastrophes, emp­hasising that loans should not be the only option for recovery.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2025