PM Shehbaz Sharif vows to transform economy in collaboration with UAE

ABU DHABI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that Pakistan wants to transform its economy in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to a state-run news agency, the prime minister passed these remarks while addressing a roundtable conference on “Innovate together: UAE-Pakistan Tech Collaboration” during his daylong visit to the friendly nation.

PM Shehbaz said that he has an iron resolve to completely transform the economy of Pakistan in collaboration of the UAE.

“Be it a joint venture, collaboration, or knowledge-sharing partnership between Pakistan and UAE,” he added.

PM Shehbaz, who is on his daylong visit to the UAE said that in his scheduled meeting with the UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he would not seek any loan but joint collaboration and joint investments to have mutual benefits for investors.

The prime minister said that he had broken the begging bowl as no nation had ever achieved prosperity through the begging bowl or aid rather through sacrifice and hard work.

“Gone are the days when I will go to a brotherly country with a begging bowl. I have broken that bowl. The bowl will lead us nowhere. When was the last time that a country prospered through aid and bowls?”

Explaining the parameters of his government’s program, he said the Pakistani workers would be imparted the highest standard of vocational training so that they come to UAE and their offices, provide remote services and make a livelihood.

“I am prepared to take that risk because nothing can be achieved without taking risks. I am ready to move forward in this field,” he told the ceremony which marked the signing of three MOUs between Pakistani and UAE IT companies to implement digital transformation.

The prime minister also appreciated the UAE president’s vision of taking lead in IT, artificial intelligence and constructing information infrastructure on modern lines to build the national economy which should not be dependent on oil and gas, and making the country a hub of imports and exports.

PM Shehbaz said that his government focuses on the promotion of IT and AI in various sectors of the economy including agriculture, mines and minerals, skills and empowering the youth. He added that the roundtable conference is the reflection of what could be achieved in the sector.

The conference was organized by the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The event was attended by representatives and heads of Information Technology (IT) companies based in UAE as well as Pakistani IT experts.

The event was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja and SAPM Syed Tariq Fatemi.