Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday arrived in Vienna to begin a two-day official visit to Austria, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation with key international organisations, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The prime minister and his delegation were warmly received at the Vienna International Airport, where a contingent of the Austrian Armed Forces presented a salute, according to an official statement.
In a post on X, Shehbaz described Vienna as a “city of history, culture, and global diplomacy,” and said he looked forward to meeting Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker to further strengthen Pakistan-Austria ties, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The premier also said he would hold meetings with senior officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN Industrial Development Organisation. These engagements will focus on cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, counter-narcotics and crime control, and sustainable industrial development.
Earlier, the Foreign Office of Pakistan said the visit is taking place from February 15 to 16 at the invitation of the Austrian leadership.
The prime minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.
During the visit, the prime minister will hold bilateral talks with his Austrian counterpart and chair a meeting of the Pakistan–Austria Business Forum organised by the Austrian Economic Chamber. He will also visit key multilateral organisations based in Vienna.
Pakistan and Austria enjoy cordial and friendly relations rooted in shared values of dialogue, cooperation, multilateralism and respect for international law, the Foreign Office said.
This is the first visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Austria in more than three decades, following the last trip by then premier Nawaz Sharif in 1992.
