Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud would soon be visiting Pakistan, adding that he has expressed willingness to support development projects in the country.
The premier’s remarks come days after he concluded a three-day trip to the kingdom during which the two leaders resolved to upgrade bilateral ties and fraternal bonds.
The premier discussed his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince earlier this week while speaking at the National Police Academy’s Specialized Training Programme (STP) batch’s passing out parade today in Islamabad.
“Earlier this year, a team from the Saudi Development Fund visited Pakistan. During a meeting with me, they complained about delays in projects in Pakistan caused by the previous government,” he recalled.
The prime minister claimed that he apologised for these delays to Prince Salman during their meeting. The people of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to Prince Salman, have a close bond with one another.
“The Saudi prince also told us to work on projects and to facilitate them without any worries,” PM Shehbaz said, elaborating that the projects included an oil refinery which was worth $10 billion.
Hence, he added, when Prince Salman visits Pakistan, “I want all of you to welcome him warmly because he comes from a brotherly country”.
The prime minister acknowledged that Pakistan’s connections with friendly nations had deteriorated in recent years and vowed to do everything in his power to repair them.
“I am visiting China soon and I will request them too. China has been an all-weather friend to us and always stood with Pakistan.”
There was no need to “ruin relationships with the USA,” PM Shehbaz added in a brief statement. He also claimed that the government was making an effort to repair the connection.
Read More: PM Shehbaz to visit Saudi Arabia today
“We have everything in the country. If there is something missing, it is the will to do,” he added.
The prime minister thanked the police for their sacrifices in safeguarding the country from crime and terrorism.
He further emphasised the need of safeguarding civilians from dangerous individuals and asked the police to set the provinces’ counterterrorism departments a good example.
PM Shehbaz also claimed that he was actively working to provide relief for flood victims and that plans were being made to secure hundreds of billions of rupees to pay for flood restoration through international channels.