Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on a two-day visit to Kuwait on Saturday, invited businessmen to invest in Pakistan as the government kicks off an economic diplomacy drive, Radio Pakistan reported.

Qureshi, who left for Kuwait on Saturday, met his counterpart Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah at an Iftar dinner held in his honour yesterday.

The foreign minister highlighted Kuwait's support to Pakistan in "every critical situation", and assured Al Sabah that Pakistan and its people also respect the people and government of Kuwait. Qureshi asserted that Pakistan gives "much importance" to its bilateral ties with the Gulf nation.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister appreciated the services of the "brave and hard-working" Pakistani diaspora in Kuwait.

While meeting with a delegation of prominent Kuwaiti businessmen, Qureshi revealed that the government has initiated economic diplomacy and directed all embassies to inform all foreign investors of business opportunities in Pakistan and to convince them to invest in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.

The foreign minister apprised the businessmen of the government's agenda for the development of business infrastructure, adding that the government wants Kuwaiti companies to invest in Pakistan and assist them in the accomplishment of this agenda.

He noted that several companies from the Gulf country had already been successful in conducting business in Pakistan, and assured the delegation that Pakistan is providing all possible facilities to foreign investors, Radio Pakistan reported.

Qureshi reiterated the government's desire to increase foreign investment in Pakistan while speaking to a delegation of the Abu Shaibah Group of Companies, which was led by its chairman, Sayyah Abu Shaibah.

He said that there are "vast investment opportunities" in Pakistan in the energy, agriculture, health, education and construction fields for foreign investors and added that the investment of Kuwaiti companies would be welcomed.

"The Kuwaiti delegation indicated their intent to bring massive investment in Pakistan in [the] near future," Radio Pakistan reported.