ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker on Tuesday, reiterated Pakistan’s eagerness to collaborate with the Trump administration to enhance bilateral relations.
PM Shehbaz emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in sectors such as trade, information technology, agriculture, health, education, and energy. He also underscored the significance of joint efforts in counterterrorism, particularly in tackling the threats posed by the militant Islamic State and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. In response, Ms. Baker assured the Prime Minister that the US administration would continue working with Pakistan to advance shared goals and strengthen ties.
Despite the dialogue, there have been no high-level exchanges between Islamabad and Washington since Trump’s return to the White House last month. This reflects Pakistan’s reduced strategic importance to the US amidst shifting regional dynamics and growing divergence between the two countries.
Cabinet Meeting Updates
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also chaired a federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday. During the session, the cabinet was briefed on the progress of the e-Office initiative, which aims to make government departments paperless. The e-Office has already been implemented in 98% of federal government divisions, with 39 of them fully operational. The Prime Minister directed officials to ensure full implementation across all federal ministries and departments by March, according to a statement from the PM Office Media Wing.
The PM also shared details of a letter received from Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, informing him about the renewal of a $100 million per month deferred payment for petroleum products from the Saudi Development Fund for another year.
The cabinet approved the signing of an international legal agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect and sustainably manage marine resources in international waters. Additionally, Kamran Jahangir was appointed Managing Director of the National Book Foundation, and Dr. Shahid Aslam Mirza was appointed Managing Director of the Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority.
World Bank Cooperation
Earlier, in a meeting with the World Bank’s executive directors, Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the institution’s support for key development initiatives in Pakistan. He highlighted the $40 billion investment outlined in the recent Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank, which will be directed toward projects in health, education, youth development, and other social sectors. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that these investments would mark the beginning of a new era of progress for Pakistan.
