Commonwealth Secretary-General Meets Pakistan’s Prime Minister

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (Alliance News): Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, leading a five-member team, met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House on Thursday. It was her first official visit to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Sharif welcomed Secretary-General Scotland and praised the Commonwealth’s support for Pakistan’s development and democratic progress. He emphasized the government’s commitment to collaborating with the Commonwealth on key issues like youth empowerment, good governance, and climate change.

With a large portion of Pakistan’s population under 30, Sharif highlighted the government’s focus on modern education and technical training for youth. He mentioned initiatives from the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and expressed a strong desire to work with the Commonwealth to enhance opportunities for Pakistan’s young people.

Secretary-General Scotland commended the Youth Programme and the Prime Minister’s active role in it. She proposed introducing the Commonwealth’s Performance Management System to improve government performance and invited Pakistan to join the Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium (CAIC), which could provide training and access to global tech innovations.

The Prime Minister showed interest in evaluating the Performance Management System and joining CAIC. He also highlighted the importance of combating climate change and appreciated Scotland’s advocacy following the 2022 floods. He expressed Pakistan’s aim to garner international support for climate action at the upcoming COP29 in Baku.

Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, both leaders discussed strategies to build consensus on mutual interests and plan for the future. Sharif congratulated Scotland on her leadership and wished her a productive visit.

Chairman of the PM Youth Program, Rana Mashhood, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Syed Tariq Fatemi, also attended the meeting.

Meta Description: Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland visits Pakistan, meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss youth empowerment, governance, and climate change. The visit includes talks on new tech opportunities and international climate support.

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