Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Norwegian companies to invest in oil and gas exploration in Pakistan. He extended this invitation during a meeting with Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, who visited Islamabad today.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the warm and cordial ties between Pakistan and Norway and underscored Pakistan's strong desire to enhance bilateral trade. He acknowledged Norway's support in various sectors, including education, skilled labour, climate resilience, and technology.

During their discussions, the Prime Minister commended Norway for its principled support of Palestine and thanked the Norwegian government for its consistent backing of Pakistan's regional peace efforts, particularly in the Gulf region.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister reciprocated the warm sentiments, thanking Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the cordial reception and conveying the well wishes of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St¸re. He praised Pakistan's significant role in regional peace efforts and expressed Norway's interest in strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors. The Minister also acknowledged the positive contributions of the Pakistani diaspora in Norway.

The meeting concluded with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extending an invitation to the Norwegian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan officially.