Saudi Arabia to become partner in CPEC: Fawad Hussain

ISLAMABAD, Sep 20: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Thursday said Saudi Arabia would be the third partner in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and invest in projects in Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference here, he said Pakistan had invited Saudi Arabia to join CPEC and both the countries would strengthen their strategic partnership by cooperating in areas of trade, economy and security.

He said a High Level Coordination Committee of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had been formed, adding two high powered Saudi Arabian and the United Arab Emirates delegations would visit Pakistan in next to hold talks and look into opportunities for business and investment in the country.

The delegation would include Saudi finance and energy ministers, he added. He said Pakistani community and Saudi citizens gave unprecedented welcome to the delegation led by Prime Minister  Imran Khan in Riyadh and Jeddah whose roads were adorned with Pakistani flags.

The minister said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman held detailed discussions with  Prime Minister Imran Khan and assured that Saudi Arabia would always stand with Pakistan.

Imran Khan told the Saudi leadership that Pakistan would always be available to Saudi Arabia in the matters of security, he added. The minister said issues related to complication in issuance of visa was also discussed by the two sides and the Foreign Office would prepare proposals to facilitate the process of visa.

Prime Minister also held fruitful discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed al Nahyan and also informed him about his narrative and initiatives related to Afghanistan.

The UAE had a prominent place in the Arab world and its viewpoint was given importance, he added.

He said that the UAE would send a delegation to Pakistan for investment in water supply projects in Karachi. Fawad said Pakistan had also engaged Iran and India to improve ties with those countries.

To a question, he agreed that Pakistanis had their assets in the UAE and the United Kingdom and steps would be taken to bring back national wealth, while Pakistan was also making efforts to get access to the accounts of Pakistanis held in Switzerland.

He said National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was an autonomous institution and reforms would be undertaken in it to remove weaknesses.

(APP)