ISLAMABAD, March 9: Saudi Arabia has gifted Pakistan three exceptionally expensive, made-to-order Mercedes Benz cars fitted with high-tech gadgets and electronics equipment which fully secure them even against high intensity explosives.

Such vehicles are said to be in use by world leaders who face a constant threat to their lives from terrorists. Sources said these vehicles would most likely to be inducted into the fleet of cars reserved for President Pervez Musharraf.

Meanwhile, knowledgeable sources said there was no hope for the revival of the $700 million Saudi oil facility which had recently ended. A senior official of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources told Dawn that the facility had expired in December 2003, and it was not likely to be revived.

"For over six years the Saudis offered us oil on deferred payment and perhaps it is not possible for them to revive it due to their own financial problems," he said.

The facility was earlier halved from 100,000 barrels per day to 50,000 BPD before it was discontinued last year. The sources said the Saudi leadership had showed interest in purchasing Al Khalid tanks, Mashak aircraft and armoured personnel carriers from Pakistan.