In his maiden visit as elected prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is seeking collaboration with friendly nations as “gone are the days when officials will visit brotherly countries with begging bowls”.
“Gone are the days that I will go to our brotherly countries with begging bowl. I have broken that bowl,” the premier, who is on a day-long visit to the UAE, said Thursday during a session in Abu Dhabi, the Gulf state’s capital.
Pakistan and the UAE have long-standing fraternal relations deep rooted in religio-cultural affinity. Frequent high-level exchanges form a distinguishing feature of brotherly ties between the two countries.
The PM said, addressing UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who was not present at the event, said: “My dear brother, like your great father you have supported Pakistan like a family member like a brother.”
“But today,” he said, “I am here in this great country, this brotherly great country not to seek loans but to seek joint collaborations, seek joint investments,” he said.
The prime minister, whose government came into power in March, said these collaborations would have mutual benefits for the investors and dividends would be drawn through hard work, ingenuity, and modern tools and skills.
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