ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss resort town of Davos next month, where he is scheduled to hold a series of important meetings on the sidelines of the annual gathering.
The visit will mark his first foreign tour of 2026.
The prime minister has been invited by WEF founder Klaus Schwab to participate in the forum, which will commence on January 19 and continue for four days. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, along with other key members of the federal cabinet, will accompany the prime minister.
Well-placed sources told The News on Thursday that Pakistan’s delegation is also expected to have a brief stopover in Zurich while returning home.
The WEF is an annual forum held in Davos, Switzerland, bringing together global leaders from government, business, and civil society to deliberate on critical global challenges, including economic growth, climate change, innovation, and public-private cooperation. The 2026 meeting will be held under the theme ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’.
According to sources, PM Shehbaz is likely to hold meetings with prominent international figures, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and several leaders from the Middle East and Europe during the 56th annual forum.
Sources added that Pakistani intellectuals and experts will also participate in the forum, contributing to discussions on environmental issues and challenges faced by developing countries. The sources noted that past WEF meetings have been attended by US presidents, British prime ministers, and UN secretaries-general, and high-level participation is again expected this year.
