Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Portugal’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Paulo Domingues, reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations during a meeting in Lahore, with both sides exploring new opportunities for cooperation across multiple sectors.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the discussions focused on expanding collaboration in trade, investment, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, digital innovation and water resource management.
A major proposal discussed during the meeting was the establishment of a Pakistan-Portugal Business Forum, aimed at promoting trade, attracting investment and enhancing business-to-business cooperation between the two countries.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz invited Portuguese investors and companies to explore investment opportunities in Punjab, highlighting the province’s business-friendly environment and assuring full government support for future projects.
Both sides also discussed strengthening cultural and tourism ties through increased people-to-people exchanges. One of the key proposals included declaring Lahore and Lisbon as twin cities, a move expected to promote cooperation in education, culture, tourism and municipal development.
Ambassador Paulo Domingues praised Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in promoting regional peace during the Iran-US negotiations and appreciated the Punjab government’s initiatives in healthcare, particularly the establishment of Pakistan’s first public-sector cancer hospital.
The ambassador also admired Lahore’s rich cultural heritage, hospitality and cuisine, and invited Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to visit Portugal to further strengthen bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation.
