EC President felicitates PM Shehbaz, seeks boost to ties

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from the President of the European Commission (EC) Ms Ursula von der Leyen Friday.

The EC President congratulated Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on assuming the office of the Prime Minister and underlined the commission’s desire to strengthen the bilateral relations with Pakistan.

Shehbaz expressed thanks for the felicitations and stated that Pakistan greatly valued its relations with the European Union (EU), based on shared values and common objectives of peace, prosperity and development.

The prime minister highlighted the importance of closer trade and investment ties between Pakistan and the EU. He appreciated the GSP Plus arrangement and underlined that being a mutually-beneficial scheme, it played an important role in the expansion of Pakistan-EU trade.

The prime minister lauded Ms Ursula Leyen's stewardship of the EU Commission and emphasized his resolve to further mutual engagement. Shehbaz Sharif also extended a cordial invitation to the European Commission President.