PM Gilani terms Saudi Arabia visit ‘renewal of ties’

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani apprises federal cabinet of his visit to Saudi Arabia.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said his visit to Saudi Arabia had renewed the bonds of brotherhood and fraternity with its leadership.

Speaking during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in Islamabad, Gilani apprised the federal cabinet of his visit to Saudi Arabia and the meeting with King Abdullah.

He took the cabinet into confidence about his talks with King Abdullah that focused on seeking reactivation of bilateral cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the fields of science, defence, defence production, trade and commerce.

King Abdullah has categorically said that Saudi Arabia will help Pakistan in all spheres that we may require assistance in, said the prime minister. He said the visit renewed Pakistan’s bonds with Saudi Arabia.

Gilani acknowledged King Abdullah’s personal appeal to the Saudi people to help Pakistanis in the aftermath of the floods. He said this was the first time the Saudi king had made such an appeal for any country.

He apprised the Cabinet about the concern the government feels about the energy situation in the country.

He said taking cognizance of this, he had constituted a high-powered Ministerial Committee headed by the Finance Minister and comprising Ministers for Water and Power, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, and Acting Governor State Bank to examine the situation and suggest immediate out-of-box proposals to resolve the situation on war.

He hoped that the committee would submit proposals in a few days.