ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday held informal meetings with various world leaders on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

The two met with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the WEF.

In a post on X, Dar said he and the field marshal met Fidan moments before the ceremony, writing, “Pakistani and Turkish nations share a strong bond which has stood the test of time and is cherished deeply by both nations.”

In a subsequent post, Mr Dar wrote that after concluding their engagements for the day, the four of them shared “lighter moments” before leaving Davos.

From Davos, PM Shehbaz later flew to London.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met with billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on the sidelines of the WEF.

The meeting focused on Pakistan’s ongoing reform efforts, public health priorities, and avenues for strengthening cooperation with the Gates Foundation in support of sustainable development and institutional capacity building.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026