KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, reiterating his government’s commitment to creating a business-friendly environment and ease of doing business, said that efforts were underway for reforms to support startups and early-stage investors through investment facilitation and better infrastructure access.
The prime minister, in a meeting with a delegation from the Malaysian business group Gobi Partners, led by Co-Founder and Chair Thomas G Tsao, said that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was striving to provide all possible facilities to foreign investors.
Citing immense potential for enhancing economic and trade cooperation, he said that Pakistan and Malaysia were working diligently towards that goal.
He commended the Pakistan-Malaysia Business and Investment Conference held on Monday to strengthen business-to-business ties which was addressed by both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim.
Appreciating Gobi Partners’ confidence in Pakistan’s startup ecosystem, Shehbaz said that mobilising international and domestic investment to build a sustainable startup ecosystem was his government’s priority.
He said that the digital economy, particularly fintech, e-commerce, and IT services, was a vital component of the national development strategy, and that the country welcomed relevant international business groups and investors, keeping in view its vast potential in IT, tech, and AI sectors.
Gobi Partners expressed keen interest in collaboration in Pakistan’s e-commerce and financial technology sectors.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi and relevant senior government officials.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Malaysia have called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, an end to the blockade on Gaza, the protection of all civilians and for unimpeded flow of humanitarian assistance to those affected immediately.
The two sides also commended the international community’s efforts to find pragmatic measures in resolving the question of granting a Palestinian statehood.
According to a joint statement issued on Tuesday at the conclusion of the three-day official visit of PM Shehbaz to Malaysia from 5–7 October 2025, the leaders of the two countries held a bilateral meeting on October 6 to discuss bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
During the meeting, they also discussed geopolitical issues, particularly the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State, Myanmar, which affects the Rohingya Muslim community. In this context, both leaders strongly condemned the ongoing genocide in Gaza and reiterated their unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of a sovereign, viable, contiguous, and independent Palestinian state, based on pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The leaders also agreed to reconvene, at a mutually convenient time, the Joint Commission Meeting at the level of the Foreign Ministers.
They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting balanced and sustainable economic ties through enhanced market access, business facilitation, and the effective utilisation of the Malaysia–Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA).
Malaysia expressed its intention to expand palm oil exports to Pakistan and also agreed to ensure a stable and sustainable supply chain, while upholding environmentally responsible practices.
They also acknowledged the growing global demand for halal products and services, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of halal. Both leaders acknowledged the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and agreed to explore joint research, innovation and the development of sustainable agricultural production methods. The leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong ongoing defence collaboration under the purview of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) platform, since its establishment in 1997. Cooperation between the two countries has been tremendously strengthened through high-level visits, regular bilateral meetings at ministerial and military levels, military-to-military engagements and defence industry linkages. Both sides also agreed to further deepen the bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the field of defence science, technology, and industry, through knowledge and technology transfer.
The two sides welcomed further cooperation in education, including technical and vocational training, and the enhancement of institutional partnerships.
Recognising the importance of aviation in fostering greater connectivity and promoting people-to-people exchanges, the leaders agreed to enhance air travel services and explore opportunities for increased connectivity between Malaysia and Pakistan. Efforts will focus on increasing air traffic rights to enable the expansion of flight routes and facilitating the growth of air travel, strengthening economic, business and tourism ties between the two nations.
The leaders agreed to explore collaboration in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, with the aim of enhancing public health and commercial exchanges in these sectors.
The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and a sustainable future for its people. They emphasised the importance of continued engagement with the interim Afghan authorities, particularly for combating terrorism, to prevent the use of Afghan soil against other countries. They also stressed the importance of maintaining humanitarian assistance and capacity building for the Afghan population.
Meanwhile, the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance on Prime Minister Shehbaz in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to nation-building.
The conferment of the honorary degree took place at a special convocation ceremony held at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation of IIUM’s Kuala Lumpur Campus, which was officiated by the university’s Constitutional Head, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
In his acceptance address, the prime minister described the conferment as a “great privilege and honor,” emphasising his delight in being associated with the IIUM, an institution renowned for championing the integration of knowledge, faith and ethics.
Later, the prime minister left for Pakistan after concluding his three-day official visit to Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz called for national unity, proactive preparedness, and climate resilience as Pakistan marks the 20th anniversary of the devastating 2005 earthquake on National Resilience Day.
In a solemn message issued to commemorate the occasion, the prime minister reflected on the immense human and infrastructural losses suffered two decades ago, and paid tribute to the “incomparable courage” with which the Pakistani nation responded to the catastrophe.
Highlighting Pakistan’s strides in disaster preparedness, the PM pointed to the country’s growing capacity in early warning systems and emergency response infrastructure. He cited the role of the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as central to this progress.