During his first state-visit to Pakistan on Sunday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has signed investment deals worth $20 billion with Pakistan. The Crown Prince is also expected to visit India and China this week
Upon his arrival in Pakistan on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was personally driven to the Prime Minister’s residence by Pakistani PM Imran Khan. The Prince was welcomed with a grand 21-gun salute on his first state-visit to Pakistan. Reportedly, the Prince has signed investment deals worth $20 billion with Pakistan.
Amid increased tension with India over the recent Pulwama attack and overbearing economic strain hanging over the country, Saudi Arabia’s financial and diplomatic support is a relief for Pakistan. Expressing his gratitude, PM Imran Khan asserted, “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are now taking this relationship to a level, which (the countries) never had before.”
The Pakistani PM has also requested Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to extend support to the 2.5 million Pakistani labourers working in Saudi Arabia. He said, “They are very close to my heart. They leave their families and children and take all the trouble and go away to earn money. They don’t get to see their families for a year or six months”. The Crown Prince responded by saying, “We can’t say no to Pakistan”. This was followed by PM Imran Khan’s tweet that read, “Mohammad bin Salman won the hearts of the people of Pakistan when he said “consider me Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia in response to my asking him to treat the 2.5 mn Pakistani’s working in KSA as his own.”
The Prince is now expected to arrive in India, where he will initiate bilateral talks with Indian PM Narendra Modi and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Asia visit will be concluded with Mohammed Bin Salman’s visit to China on Thursday and Friday.