ISLAMABAD: Refuting the speculations, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that Saudi Arabia does not give Pakistan free oil, adding, “We buy oil from Saudi Arabia and Gulf states, including United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman, on international price.”
While giving an interview to BBC, Ishaq Dar said only once in history Saudi Arabia gave free oil worth $2 billion and that was after Pakistan’s nuclear tests. He said that attack on Saudi Arabia will be considered attack on Pakistan and then Islamabad would have no option except practically getting involved in the war. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, taking initiative, visited Turkey and also asked the Iranian Foreign Minister to bring the Houthis on negotiation table.
Talking about Pakistan’s current role in Yemen conflict, he said that Pakistan is providing intelligence and logistic support to Saudi Arabia which is also being provided by Turkey, Britain and America. He brushed aside the impression that Pakistan’s decision of not sending its troops to Yemen would damage Islamabad’s relations with Gulf States.
Brushing aside the rumours about Saudi Arabia’s secret help in Pakistan’s nuclear and defence project, Dar said Riyadh provided Islamabad no secret help. “Saudi Arabia gave us free oil of $2 billion after nuclear tests and we are always grateful to this favour,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia also gifted $1.5 billion after PML-N government came into power in 2013.
