PM Shehbaz Pitches Joint Ventures with Malaysia in IT, Agriculture, and Vocational Training

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today called for a new era of “mutually beneficial projects” and joint ventures with Malaysia, seeking to leverage Malaysian expertise to accelerate Pakistan’s economic growth. The call came during a joint press conference in Putrajaya with his Malaysian counterpart, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, following “highly productive” bilateral talks.

Prime Minister Sharif explicitly identified agriculture, information technology (IT), and vocational and skills training as key sectors for immediate collaboration and joint ventures. He stated that Pakistan is eager to learn from Malaysia’s vast experience, particularly in cutting-edge fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other areas of economic development.

Key Highlights from the Bilateral Meeting:

• Halal Meat Quota: In a major trade development, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced an enhanced import quota of $200 million worth of Halal meat from Pakistan. Prime Minister Sharif assured his Malaysian counterpart that Pakistan would meet all Halal certification and quality conditions to not only achieve this target but surpass it.
• Wider Economic Cooperation: The two leaders agreed to explore and enhance cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, the Halal industry, energy, infrastructure, digital economy, defence, and education.
• MoU Exchange: To formalize the deepened relationship, the two sides exchanged several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in areas such as higher education, tourism, Halal certification, anti-corruption efforts, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• People-to-People Ties: PM Sharif highlighted the presence of approximately 150,000 Pakistanis in Malaysia, noting their contribution to national development, and emphasized harnessing the potential of students studying in both countries.
• Cultural Exchange: The two Prime Ministers also launched the Urdu translation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s book, SCRIPT: For a Better Malaysia, which PM Sharif hailed as a bridge between the two nations.

“Pakistan wants to join hands with Malaysia, not only to benefit from your experience but to have joint ventures, mutually beneficial projects, where Malaysian and Pakistani expertise can come together,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remarked.

The visit is part of a broader effort to strengthen the Strategic Partnership between Pakistan and Malaysia and boost trade and economic cooperation in strategic and future-focused sectors.