PM Khan receives Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir at Nur Khan airbase

Published March 21, 2019
The Malaysian PM was given a 21-gun salute and was welcomed at Nur Khan airbase by Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 21, 2019. — PID
The Malaysian PM was given a 21-gun salute and was welcomed at Nur Khan airbase by Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 21, 2019. — PID
Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was given a warm red carpet welcome by PM Khan and cabinet members. — PID
Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was given a warm red carpet welcome by PM Khan and cabinet members. — PID
Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Imran Khan at Nur Khan air base on March 21, 2019. — PID
Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Imran Khan at Nur Khan air base on March 21, 2019. — PID

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday evening for a three-day visit to Pakistan.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Malaysian premier is visiting on the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, and will be the chief guest at the Pakistan Day parade on March 23.

Mahathir was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including several leading businessmen.

He was received at Nur Khan airbase by the prime minister, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar, and was given a 21-gun salute and presented with a bouquet of flowers upon his arrival.

Razak Dawood, the prime minister's advisor on commerce, said memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering $800-$900 million worth of investments with Malaysian investors would be signed on Friday, Radio Pakistan reported.

Dr Mahathir receiving a bouquet of flowers as the prime minister looks on. — PID
Dr Mahathir receiving a bouquet of flowers as the prime minister looks on. — PID

The memoranda will cover deals in IT, telecom, power generation, textile, agriculture, and halal food industries, according to Radio Pakistan.

“We believe Malaysia will be an opening for us to the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries,” Dawood said.

The Malaysian prime minister's bilateral engagements also include a call on President Arif Alvi, and a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, followed by delegation-level talks, state radio network reported.

The capital city is decked out in banners welcoming the Malaysian premier. — AFP
The capital city is decked out in banners welcoming the Malaysian premier. — AFP

The two prime ministers are scheduled to speak at the roundtable meeting of the chief executive officers, who desire to invest in Pakistan’s automobile and telecommunication sectors.

Meanwhile, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr. Muhammad Faisal, in a statement said the visit of the Malaysian prime minister will further cement the existing brotherly and friendly relations between the two countries.

He said the focus of the visit will be on enhancing economic, trade, investment, and defence ties for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also each offered Islamabad loan packages of $3 billion.

During a visit in February, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had signed investment agreements worth $20 billion with Islamabad, including a $10 billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in the southwestern port city of Gwadar.

Neighbouring China has pledged nearly $60 billion for energy and road and rail infrastructure projects as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), known as China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

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