RIYADH: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday urged the Saudi companies and entrepreneurs to benefit from Pakistan’s strategic location as well huge investment potential in diverse areas of economy including housing and construction for mutual benefit.

He particularly mentioned the mega development projects of Ravi City and Central Business District in Lahore and said it was the right time for Saudi investors to benefit from these projects.

The prime minister was addressing the Saudi-Pak Investment Forum organised in cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Investment.

The Investment Forum was attended by senior representatives of the leading Saudi companies and entrepreneurs as well as Pakistani businessmen.

Besides Saudi Investment Minister Engr Khalid Al-Falih, the forum was also addressed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Adviser Shaukat Tarin and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar.

Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighting the close and historic ties between the two brotherly nations said that Pakistan-Saudi relations transcend all other relations due to people-to-people contacts. “Whichever government comes to power in Pakistan, it does not affect Pakistan-Saudi relations,” he added.Imran Khan said like Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, who has dynamism and a passion for change, he also wanted a Naya Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan was the fastest growing economy in Asia until 1960s with strong institutions like PIA being one of the best airlines in the world at that time.

“Then we lost that path through the policy of nationalisation,” he added.

The premier said that now the government was exploring the potential by incentivising various sectors in a country of 220 million people, out of which majority of people were below the age of 30 years.

He said that Pakistan due to its strategic location having two biggest markets in the neighbourhood and connectivity with Central Asia through Afghanistan provided a real opportunity to investors to take benefit.“Successful businessmen take risks. If you look at the strategic location of Pakistan, which is open for investment, it can benefit both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, he added.

Similarly, the prime minister said that with 300,000 acres of virgin land — next to River Indus, allocated for investment, Saudi companies can invest in agriculture and food security sectors.

“If we come together, it will really benefit the two countries,” he stressed.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2021