Pak economy heading in right direction, says Nawaz

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said Pakistan's economy was on the right trajectory and the government's solid policies would boost the country's economic conditions.

Talking to media here in the Swiss resort city, the Prime Minister said he would highlight Pakistan's point of view at various sessions of World Economic Forum, where a number of other sideline meetings with important leaders are also part of his schedule.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the meetings at the Davos Forum would prove beneficial for Pakistan for attracting investment in diverse fields. He said interaction with the corporate heads interested to invest in Pakistan would also yield positive results for the country's economy.

Prime Minister arrived here on Tuesday to represent Pakistan at the 46th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The meeting is being attended by over 40 heads of state and government, and 2,500 leaders from business and society.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here Thursday held a trilateral meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and discussed efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

The meeting on the sidelines of the 46th World Economic Forum reviewed the progress made so far and pondered on the way forward. US Secretary of State John Kerry, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi attended the meeting.

An official statement issued at the end of the meeting said talks were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, saying, "The participants reviewed the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan that is being pursued on the establishment of the quadrilateral mechanism that resulted from the Heart of Asia- Istanbul Process."

The leaders expressed satisfaction at the two meetings of the quadrilateral consultative groups held in Kabul and Islamabad. "They agreed to focus on the goal of ensuring peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which was both in the interest of Afghanistan and the region." the statement said. Vice President Biden and President Ashraf Ghani condemned the Charsada terror attack and conveyed their grief over the loss of precious lives. Both the leaders appreciated the resolve of Pakistani nation in its war against terrorism and extremism.

Biden's meeting with Sharif and Ghani at Davos was held to help the two neighbours co-operate and co-ordinate on counter-terrorism measures and kick-start the reconciliation process with the Taliban, the White House said in an earlier statement.