PNN: PM Shehbaz Sharif on February 16 called on Austrian companies to deepen investment and business engagement with Pakistan, highlighting opportunities in information technology, agriculture, mining, renewable energy and tourism.
Addressing a business forum at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Austria enjoy long-standing friendly relations, noting that Austrian firms have operated in Pakistan for decades.
“Pakistan and Austria have long-standing friendly relations based on strong historical foundations. Austrian companies have been working in Pakistan for many decades,” he said, while acknowledging that commercial activity had declined in recent years “for a variety of reasons.”
He cited firms such as Doppelmayr, which installed cable car projects in Patriata, Murree and other parts of Pakistan, as examples of successful cooperation. He added that sectors such as mining, minerals and renewable energy offer significant scope for renewed collaboration.
The prime minister said he was warmly received by Austrian officials and business leaders, describing the engagement as “very fruitful and very productive,” including restricted sessions, bilateral meetings and smaller group interactions between Pakistani and Austrian businesses.
“We have agreed that we will now jointly follow up on these meetings and take these discussions to their logical conclusion,” he said, referring to his talks with the Austrian leadership.
Highlighting Pakistan’s demographic strength, Shehbaz said the country’s population of around 240 million includes nearly 60% young people. “They are talented and need modern training laptops, AI and IT-led initiatives,” he said, adding that federal and provincial governments are expanding IT-based education, vocational and technical training across the country.
He stressed that Pakistan opposes illegal immigration and is working with European partners, including Austria, Germany and France, to curb it. “In return, your demand for trained and skilled labour will be fulfilled by Pakistan, with international certification to your requirements and satisfaction,” he said.
Calling Pakistan an agrarian economy, with 60% of its population living in rural areas, the prime minister said there is vast potential in agriculture. He invited Austrian cooperation in improving per-acre yields and value addition, particularly in citrus processing for exports to Austria, the Middle East and other markets.
Shehbaz also highlighted Pakistan’s vast mineral resources, including rare minerals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir, saying Austria could be “a great partner” in the sector.
On tourism, he invited Austrian entrepreneurs to visit Pakistan. “Be my guest, and we will take you to all these places and meet your counterparts all over Pakistan,” he said, adding that business opportunities in textiles, leather and other industries would be showcased alongside tourism.
He said Austria’s expertise in engineering, renewable energy, environmental technology and advanced manufacturing aligns with Pakistan’s development goals, particularly in hydropower, solar energy, biomass and grid modernisation.
Concluding his address, the prime minister invited Austrian firms to participate in the upcoming EU–Pakistan Business Forum, scheduled for late April in Islamabad, saying Pakistan looks forward to taking the bilateral economic partnership “to new heights.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived at the Austrian Chancellery in Vienna, where he was received with a guard of honour, Pakistan TV shared on X. He is set to hold bilateral and delegation-level meetings with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, focusing on strengthening ties between Pakistan and Austria.
The premier is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the PM Syed Tariq Fatemi, and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch. The visit marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Austria and is the first by a Pakistani prime minister to Vienna in over three decades.
Later in the day, the prime minister will attend and address the Pakistan-Austria Business Forum, organised by the Austrian Economic Chamber, where discussions are expected to focus on trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
PM Shehbaz is set to participate in a United Nations special event under the theme “Sustainable Development: the Path to Global Peace and Prosperity”, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to multilateral cooperation on sustainable development.
He is also scheduled to meet leaders of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to discuss peaceful nuclear energy, counter-narcotics, crime control, and sustainable industrial development.
The Foreign Office said the visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and reaffirm Pakistan’s shared commitment with Austria to dialogue, cooperation, multilateralism, and adherence to the UN Charter.
The PMO statement said that the prime minister will also chair a meeting of the Pakistan-Austria Business Forum, organised by the Austrian Economic Chamber, and will visit multilateral organisations.
This visit marks the first trip by a Pakistani prime minister to Austria in more than three decades, the last having been undertaken by then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1992.