ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelled to Qatar on Tuesday in the hope of generating trade and investment for his cash-strapped country, his office and aides said.
The South Asian country of 220 million people is in economic turmoil with a balance of payment crises as its foreign reserves have fallen to as low as US$7.8 billion, hardly enough for more than a month of imports, a widening current account deficit, a historic depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar and 24.9 per cent inflation posted in July.
Sharif's office did not give details of his agenda but two sources close to him said he was expected to offer Qatar shares in state-owned enterprises, like the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines and its Roosevelt Hotel in New York.