Don’t approach allies with ‘begging bowl’, engage as equals in trade: PM Shehbaz Sharif

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan must move away from dependency and shift its global engagement strategy towards trade, investment, and innovation. Addressing officers at the Command and Staff College in Quetta, Balochistan, he stated that he and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would no longer carry the “burden of dependency” on their shoulders.

Sharif said allied nations no longer expect Pakistan to approach them with a "begging bowl." He named China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE as longstanding and reliable partners of Pakistan. “But let me point out abundantly here that they expect us now to engage them in trade, commerce, innovation, research and development, education and health, investments, and profitable ventures mutually,” he said.

He added that the focus should now be on domestic potential rather than external assistance. “The answer is pure and simple that the natural resources, human resources, Allah Almighty has blessed us with, we must make full use of it and deploy them for these very profitable ventures,” he said during the address.

Shehbaz Sharif said the government must prioritise economic ventures that can generate sustainable profit and employment. He emphasised the importance of eliminating reliance on business units that are no longer profitable or operationally productive.

He also spoke about national unity and the fight against terrorism as crucial factors for economic progress. “If we are able to defeat terrorism, if we are able to put the nation together which is united like never before, and if we are absolutely clear in our vision that we have to promote export growth, we must not promote those idling units in Pakistan, who are not making profits,” said Sharif.