PM attends memorial ceremony of late Iranian president

TEHRAN/ ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday attended the memorial ceremony held in the honour of the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash last Sunday.

The prime minister arrived in Tehran on a daylong visit to offer condolences to the Iranian leadership on the tragic death of Raisi and other senior officials.

On his arrival at the Tehran International Airport, the prime minister was received by Iranian Minister for Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash.

According to an official statement, Shehbaz offered condolences to caretaker Iranian President Mohammad Mokhber at the commemoration ceremony. He paid rich tribute to late president Raisi for development and prosperity of the Iranian people, promotion of Pak-Iran relations and services to the region.

He expressed his condolences on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan to the acting President of Iran. He said the government and people of Pakistan are deeply shocked by the news of the martyrdom of President Raisi and his entourage in a tragic accident.

The prime minister said the entire Pakistani nation stands with Iran in this hour of grief and our sympathies are with the families of the martyrs and the Iranian people.

He said the late Iranian president was a great friend of Pakistan and moments he spent with the Pakistani people during his visit to Pakistan last month will always be remembered.

The premier also expressed his best wishes for the interim Iranian President Mokhber.

During the ceremony, he also visited the hall where mortal remains of the late Iranian president were kept and prayed for high ranks of the late Raisi. Later, the premier also called on Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei led funeral prayers of the late president with tens of thousands of mourners thronging streets at the funeral in Tehran, which will move to the cleric’s eastern home city of Mashhad for burial on Thursday.

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters related to the IT parks, the prime minister instructed for the early completion of IT Park being developed in Islamabad and carrying out the third-party performance evaluation of software technology parks.

Briefing the prime minister about the IT Parks, officers of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications said that Islamabad’s IT Park being established through South Korean cooperation would be completed by next year. The facility would feature startups, incubation centers, banks, restaurants and other facilities. Besides, another IT Park being developed with South Korea’s support near the Jinnah International Airport of Karachi would be completed by 2027.

Moreover, 43 software technology parks had been established in 20 cities. By 2025, around 100 new eRozgar centers and 10 new software technology parks will be developed.

Separately, chairing a meeting, the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to take the required steps for granting industrial status to the gems and precious stones sector of the country. He called for necessary legislation and consultation with the provinces and private sector to uplift the sector besides immediately activating Gems and Jewelry Development Company.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will pay a visit to the United Arab Emirates on May 23, 2024. This would be the Prime Minister’s first visit to the UAE since his election. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising key ministers of the cabinet.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is expected to meet His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE with special focus on trade and investment. Prime Minister Sharif is also likely to hold meetings with other Emirati dignitaries, businesspersons, and heads of financial institutions.