ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned home on Wednesday after completing the two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia which Information Minister Attaullah Tarar termed successful, saying it would lead to the progress of the country.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the prime minister returned to the country after attending One Water Summit in Riyadh where he had proposed a six-point agenda to overcome water-related challenges.

The prime minister also highlighted the climate change-induced challenges being faced by developing countries.

Giving details of the PM’s visit at a press conference, the information minister said a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia this year for billions of dollars in investment have been actualised during the visit and these would boost up the national economy and create job opportunities for the people in the country.

Attaullah Tarar says visit will contribute to country’s progress

He termed the PM’s visit a success where he held meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and President of France Emmanuel Macron.

“Prime Minister has returned from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a brief but successful and significant visit,” the minister said.

Over the last six months, he said, the PM held five meetings with the Saudi crown prince that reflected a boost in the Pak-Saudi relations. “It also validates that the 28 MoUs signed between the two countries during the recent visits of the high-level Saudi delegations are on the ground and actualising,” he said.

In this regard, he cited opening of Aramco petrol pumps in different cities and the process for the launch of Al-Baik food chain in Pakistan.

He said the leaders of Saudi Arabia had expressed satisfaction over actualisation of the MoUs in agriculture, mines and minerals, energy, and IT sectors.

Mr Tarar quoted Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman as saying: “Pakistanis are our brothers and sisters, and there is no limit for investment in Pakistan. Yesterday’s meeting of the prime minister with the Crown Prince was a historic event and a milestone in the bilateral relations,” he added.

During the meeting, both leaders agreed to enhance business and investment relations, he said.

Mr Tarar also said PM Shehbaz expressed good wishes for the Khadim al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn.He said the premier had not only advanced Pakistan’s foreign policy, but also revived and stabilised the economy, for which he is being appreciated by world leaders. Under his leadership, the stock market had crossed 100,000 points, interest rate and KIBOR stood at 15 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, and the inflation had plummeted to 4.8pc, the minister said.

On the other hand, he said, the PTI had decimated the economy and harmed Pakistan’s relations with brotherly countries.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Sharif met Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud wherein two leaders “agreed to bring about a qualitative change in the bilateral ties and expressed satisfaction over the pace of implementation of the MoUs and agreements signed by the two countries”.

He said the prime minister also held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. During the meeting, he said, the two dignitaries discussed trade and cooperation. Both sides agreed on promoting business-to-business cooperation in the fields of agriculture, livestock, information technology, vocational skills, and clean drinking water, the minister said.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024