Vienna (Monitoring Desk) Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif set a notable diplomatic precedent during his official visit to Austria by addressing the Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in the German language during delegation-level talks.
Upon arrival at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was accorded a warm and ceremonial welcome.
Chancellor Christian Stocker personally received the Prime Minister, followed by a formal reception in which the national anthems of Pakistan and Austria were played.
A contingent of the Austrian Armed Forces presented a guard of honor, which the Prime Minister inspected alongside the Chancellor.
The Prime Minister also signed the visitors’ book at the Chancellery.During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in German, expressed his pleasure at meeting the Austrian Chancellor once again and recalled their previous interaction in New York last year.
He noted that he was deeply impressed by Chancellor Stocker’s leadership and his strong interest in further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Austria.
Reflecting on his personal connection with Austria, the Prime Minister shared memories of visiting the country in his youth.
He referred to his visit to Salzburg, the city of Mozart, as well as Vienna’s historic Schönbrunn Palace.
He described the hospitality he received at the summer residence as memorable and spoke fondly of visiting the Vienna State Opera and experiencing Vienna’s renowned coffee culture.
The Prime Minister highlighted cultural cooperation between the two countries, noting that a cultural center established with Austrian cooperation is operating in Lahore, where he serves as its patron.
He emphasized that such cultural initiatives play an important role in strengthening people-to-people contacts and deepening friendship between Pakistan and Austria.
On economic cooperation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed the goodwill of the people of Pakistan and a clear message from his government that Pakistan is open for business.
He stated that Pakistan–Austria relations are entering a new phase of partnership and that his government has undertaken wide-ranging reforms to improve the business and investment environment.
These measures, he said, are aimed at providing foreign investors with a stable, transparent, and business-friendly framework.
Inviting Austrian investors and companies to explore opportunities in Pakistan, the Prime Minister pointed to potential collaboration in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, industry, and information technology.
He expressed confidence that his visit would serve as a milestone in further strengthening political, economic, and cultural ties between Pakistan and Austria.