Pakistan eyes strategic economic ties with KSA: PM

Saudi delegation explores new investment avenues

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan was keen to elevate its economic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into a mutually beneficial strategic economic partnership in line with the vision of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

A high-level Saudi business delegation, led by Chairman of the Saudi-Pak Joint Business Council, Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud called on the prime minister here at the PM House, a news release said.

During the warm and cordial meeting the Prime Minister conveyed his respectful regards to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

While recalling the longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and the Kingdom, the prime minister discussed avenues for expanding economic cooperation and investment between the two brotherly countries.

In this regard, he recalled Prince Mansour's earlier visits to Pakistan and expressed the hope that the current visit would build on those discussions and culminate in the signing of MoUs and agreements across multiple sectors.

The Saudi side conveyed interest in investment opportunities in agriculture, ports, highways, and airport outsourcing, real estate sector as well as in the energy, power distribution, and information technology sectors.

The prime minister welcomed Saudi interest in investments in these priority areas and conveyed that this was the most opportune time for joint collaboration between the two countries, both in G2G as well as B2B cooperation.

Prince Mansour thanked the Prime Minister for the warm reception and reaffirmed the Saudi government's and business community's continued interest in deepening business-to-business engagement with Pakistan.

The delegation is meeting with a number of senior government representatives and private-sector stakeholders during its stay in Pakistan.

Federal Ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Dr Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ataullah Tarar, Junaid Anwar Chaudhury, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Sardar Awais Ahmed Leghari, and Muhammad Hanif Abbasi; Advisors Muhammad Ali and Haroon Akhtar Khan; Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani; SAPM Tariq Fatemi; and senior government officials attended the meeting.

 

Condemnation

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on labourers who were engaged in road construction work in the Suranan area of Pishin district.

The prime minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in the attack, and extended his heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families of the martyred labourers, a Prime Minister's Office news release said.

The prime minister said that targeting innocent and hardworking citizens was a cowardly act on the part of the terrorists.

He reiterated that the entire nation stood united in the war against terrorism and terrorists, and their facilitators would not be allowed to sabotage peace and stability in the country.

The prime minister prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and for patience and fortitude for the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.