Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed on Monday his Malaysian counterpart’s announcement of the import of Halal meat worth $200 million from Pakistan a “welcome step”, which he said would further augment engagement in this sector between the countries.The PM’s remarks came in a post on X after he addressed a joint press conference alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya following bilateral talks between the two leaders.

‘Pakistan wants to join hands for mutually beneficial projects’Earlier, PM Shehbaz said during the press conference with Ibrahim alongside him that Pakistan wanted to “join hands” with Malaysia for mutually beneficial projects which allowed for expertise from the two countries to come together.PM Shehbaz began his media talk by thanking Ibrahim on behalf of the people of Pakistan for extending an exceptionally warm welcome to the visiting delegation and called the country a “second home”. 

“This is my first visit to your great country but believe me, ever since we arrived here last night, I [see] familiar faces — very cordial, very warm — as if we have known each other for ages and that stems from sincerity of purpose and very true friendship. It’s like a family reunion,” he said. “The way you are focused on building your great country into one of the most strong economies in the region and around the globe speaks volumes about your leadership skills, vision, and dynamism,” the premier said.

 PM Shehbaz said that he and Ibrahim had “very productive discussions” and they had covered a wide range of matters pertaining to bilateral relations and other international matters during a meeting held prior to the joint presser. “I am very happy that our views converge on almost all important issues,” he said. He further said that the Malaysian premier’s visit to Pakistan last year was memorable in terms of further cementing bilateral relations. 

“Today, I am very happy that you have expressed your vision [on] how to build our economic and trade relations, how to promote joint ventures, how to encourage investment […], how we can benefit from your vast experience in technology, artificial intelligence and other areas of economic growth where Malaysia has done remarkably well,” he said, adding that Pakistan stood to benefit from Malaysian experience in these areas.

 “Today, I want to make it publicly known that 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,” he said. The premier noted that there were 150,000 Pakistanis in Malaysia who were contributing to national building efforts. “I think all this put together gives us great encouragement and hope that we can use this potential and make our economies stronger,” he said.

 He noted that Ibrahim, in his remarks, had indicated interest in meat exports from Pakistan to Malaysia worth $200 million. “I am eternally grateful to you […] but let me also make it abundantly clear for our Malaysian importers and officials that this quota of exporting meat will be regulated by a market price mechanism. “It will be regulated by all halal certification required by Malaysian custom and food authorities […].

I want to assure you that we will make all possible efforts to meet all your terms and conditions and only on that basis, we will achieve not only this quota of $200m, but in times to come it will increase and have a quantum jump,” he said. The premier further said that an Urdu translation had been launched for Ibrahim’s book Script which detailed the latter’s vision of sustainability, innovation, research and development. “These are the great virtues and values that brother Ibrahim has inked in this script and I think it will speak across borders for this generation and coming generations,” he said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)