Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope on Tuesday that the people of Palestine and Gaza would finally witness “lasting peace” following Israel’s “genocidal operation”.
While addressing the World Government Summit, PM Shehbaz stated that the gathering came at a time when the region was beginning to recover from the devastating aftermath of the conflict in Gaza, which resulted in the loss of over 50,000 innocent Palestinian lives.
He emphasized Pakistan’s firm stance that a lasting and just peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution, in line with relevant UN resolutions. “This includes establishing an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” he said.
The prime minister’s remarks come at a time when the Gaza ceasefire is under strain following US President Donald Trump’s warning that “all hell will break out” if Hamas does not free hostages by Saturday noon.
His warning came after Hamas said ceasefire violations from Israeli side had reached the point where the Group would no longer hold up its end of the bargain – and would delay the release of an upcoming batch of Israeli captives indefinitely.
Trump had earlier said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and develop it economically after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere. He said Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza under his proposal.
The prime minister also highlighted his government’s achievements in stabilizing the economy.
“Despite significant challenges, stabilizing our economy has been a key achievement in Pakistan over the past year,” the prime minister stated.
He highlighted that headline inflation had fallen to 2.4% in January—the lowest in nine years—while the interest rate was maintained at 12%, substantially boosting private sector credit.
“Economic stability is a means to an end, not the ultimate goal,” the prime minister stated, emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to transformation under the National Economic Transformation Plan, “Uraan Pakistan”.
He outlined its five key pillars—exports, e-Pakistan, environment and climate change, energy and infrastructure, and equity and empowerment—as the driving forces behind this change.
He highlighted the significance of energy security and sustainability and stressed that they were not only economic imperatives but also national priorities.
“Pakistan is committed to achieving a 60% clean energy mix by 2030 and transitioning 30% of all vehicles to electric mobility,” he added.
The premier highlighted that the government had taken various policy measures, such as tax exemptions, investment incentives, net metering, and the removal of customs duties on solar panels and related equipment to accelerate solar energy adoption.
“We are streamlining business regulations, strengthening legal protections, and simplifying investment approvals to establish Pakistan as a premier destination for global capital,” he added.
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