ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited Saudi Arabia to become a partner in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Federal Minister for Information Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry stated this while chairing a press conference in the federal capital following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s return to the country after a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“A high-level coordination committee has been constituted [to look into matters of trade and commerce] and it has the complete backing of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud as well as the Crown Prince [Mohammad bin Salman] and PM Khan,” Fawad said, adding that the two countries had finalised the important economic partnership during the PM’s visit.
He said that Saudi Arabia is the first country that Pakistan has invited to become a third partner in CPEC, and the projects that Saudi Arabia will be investing in will be worked out during the Saudi delegation’s visit, scheduled for the first week of October. “We expect major investments from Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“Our strategic cooperation has been revitalised. We have assured the Saudi leadership that we will continue to provide security to their country and provide strategic support wherever needed,” Chaudhry said.
He further informed that high-level delegations from Saudi Arabia and UAE will visit Pakistan next month to discuss trade and security.
“I should mention here that Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia and UAE had been frosty for the past few years but this visit changed that,” the information minister claimed.
He added that the issues in the procurement of UAE visas will be resolved soon as it was one of the matters that had come under discussion during the visit.
“The Foreign Office will soon send a proposal to UAE and it is expected that these issues will be resolved for the thousands of Pakistanis that are dwelling in the Emirates,” Chaudhry assured.
The information minister said that UAE would also help Pakistan in various projects, including the provision of fresh water to Karachi. “Delegations from UAE will come to Pakistan in October to discuss these matters,” he said.
