ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday arrived in Malaysia on a three-day visit to expand bilateral trade and investment relations in various sectors, Sharif’s office said.
The visit comes as the South Asian country pushes for export-led growth and seeks new markets to recover from a prolonged economic crisis that brought it close to a sovereign default two years ago.
Last month, Sharif instructed his administration to draw up a plan to boost exports, particularly beef, to Malaysia, noting the “enormous potential” to expand trade between the two countries. Malaysia is already a major supplier of palm oil to Pakistan, while halal meat remains a largely untapped area of bilateral trade.
Upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur airport, the Prime Minister was received by the Malaysian Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil, Pakistani High Commissioner to Malaysia Syed Ahsan Raza Shah and other officials, and was taken to his residence in royal protocol, according to Sharif’s office.
“I am very happy to be in Malaysia. I thank the Malaysian Prime Minister for the warm welcome,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “This visit will further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia bilateral relations.”
