'Good news': Shaukat Tarin confirms SBP's receipt of $3bn deposit from Saudi Arabia

Published December 4, 2021
A person holding US dollar bills. — AFP/File
A person holding US dollar bills. — AFP/File

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin announced on Saturday that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had received Saudi Arabia's $3 billion deposit and thanked the kingdom and its crown prince for the "kind gesture".

"Good news, $3bn Saudi deposit received by SBP. I want to thank His Excellency Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and [the] kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the kind gesture," the adviser tweeted.

The agreement was reached during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to the kingdom in October. Apart from the support package, Saudi Arabia had also agreed to provide $1.2bn worth of oil supplies on deferred payments.

The deal cleared its last legal hurdle last month when its summaries were approved by the prime minister and the cabinet.

On Monday, the SBP signed the agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development to receive the amount, which would be placed in the SBP’s account with an aim to improve its foreign exchange reserves.

When the SBP was officially contacted to know the agreed rate of return on the Saudi fund as there were massive speculations in the financial market about the rates being given on $3bn, it had stated: “As per agreement all terms are confidential and cannot be revealed without the consent of both the parties.”

The issued press release had further stated the fund would help support Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves and contribute towards resolving the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SBP said the deposit agreement reflected the strong and special relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and would further augment the economic ties between the two brotherly countries.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Judicial constraints
Updated 26 Jul, 2024

Judicial constraints

The fact that it is being prescribed by the legislature will be questioned, given the political context.
Macabre spectacle
26 Jul, 2024

Macabre spectacle

Israel knows that regardless of the party that wins the presidency, America’s ‘ironclad’ support for its genocidal endeavours will continue.
Bad measures
Updated 25 Jul, 2024

Bad measures

It is most unfortunate that matters have come to this, and both sides deserve equal blame.
Hamas-Fatah deal
25 Jul, 2024

Hamas-Fatah deal

THE Beijing Declaration signed in the Chinese capital on Tuesday reiterates the need for internal Palestinian unity...
Rating risks
25 Jul, 2024

Rating risks

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s recent discussions with the executives of the two top global credit rating...