PM extends UK stay for 'personal engagements,' departure now Monday

London: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended his stay in the United Kingdom until Monday owing to his personal engagements, ARY News reported, citing sources.

The Prime Minister was originally scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Sunday. Sources indicate he will now depart on Monday.

The premier is currently residing at his residence on Edgware Road in London. He had arrived in London on Thursday for a private visit from Bahrain.

Sources added that the Prime Minister did not hold any official meetings during his time in London. He reportedly underwent medical check-ups and tests at a private hospital in the city.

In Bahrain, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighting the structural transformation, regulatory and economic reforms by his government, urged the Bahraini business sector to seize Pakistan’s immense investment potential with new sectors opened like agribusiness, IT, minerals, energy and tourism, to build a long-term partnership.

“Pakistan is undergoing a structural transformation embodying economic reforms, digital modernisation and a decisive push for a private sector-led growth. We have cut red tape forever, strengthened our regulations and opened new sectors such as agribusiness, IT, minerals, energy and tourism for long-term partnership,” the prime minister said, addressing the members of the business community here during his two-day official visit.

The event was attended by Bahrain’s deputy prime minister, ministers for foreign affairs, finance and national economy, industries and commerce, besides the prime minister’s own delegation members including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and others.

He said that Pakistan offered talent, resources and a growing consumer market which had enormous potential, combined with Bahrain’s financial expertise and business acumen.

The prime minister said that Pakistan was ready to enhance economic cooperation with Bahrain in the field of agriculture, IT, AI, FinTech and all other areas to create synergy through mutual efforts, knowledge and experience.

He told the gathering of overseas Pakistanis and Pakistani and Bahraini entrepreneurs that the Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and GCC was expected to be signed soon to help strengthen trade cooperation.

“I address you not just as the Prime Minister of Pakistan but as the CEO of a nation eager to partner with Bahraini entrepreneurs ready to support joint ventures, facilitate your investment plans and assist in the mutually-rewarding journey ahead of us… Whether you are a Bahraini investor exploring Pakistan or a Pakistani entrepreneur contributing to Bahrain’s great progress, let this moment be your launching pad for a bold and meaningful collaboration.”

Expressing gratitude to King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa for their warm hospitality to him and his delegation, he said the relationship between the two countries was based on cultural, religious, mutual respect and trust, with both having strategic cooperation for decades.

“Now we have to convert these wonderful relations into economic cooperation,” he said, and vowed to convert Pakistan’s challenge of youth bulge into a great opportunity by training them in IT, AI, vocational training, and skill training.

The prime minister appreciated the Pakistani community of over 100,000 in Bahrain for their contribution to the host country as well as their own homeland by sending their hard-earned remittances worth $484 million last year.

“Let me assure you that Pakistan’s doors and my own door will always remain open to all of you,” he assured and appreciated Bahrain’s visionary leadership, making the country emerge as a “beacon” of economic growth, financial innovation and human-centered development, also serving as inspiration for Pakistan.