Saudi Arabia gave no ‘wish list’: Nawaz

LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that no ‘wish list’ was handed over to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Yemen crisis.
“We have very good and strong relations with Saudi Arabia and we think that these relations are gaining strength with the passage of time. We have told Saudi officials that Pakistan considers Saudi Arabia as its best friend and the two have been always together. We are clear if Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity is threatened, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Nawaz Sharif said that some people had tried to create a wrong impression about the resolution passed by the National Assembly but the two sides held discussions in a cordial atmosphere and agreed that the Yemen conflict should be resolved in the light of the international law.
He said that Saudi Arabia understood and respected the unanimous National Assembly resolution opposing practical involvement of Pakistan in the Yemen conflict.Prime Minister Sharif was speaking to the Pakistani media outside his home as he arrived here from Saudi Arabia for avisit which would last four days.
The PM will hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron and senior government officials.Nawaz Sharif said that some external and internal forces might try to jeopardise these projects to halt the progress of the country but he said that all the conspiracies would be foiled and conspirators against the country’s progress would face frustration and Pakistan would continue to march ahead with determination.
Answering questions asked by ‘The News,’ Nawaz Sharif said the Pakistani delegation led by him and the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif had a “very constructive dialogue with the Saudi officials and there would be a political solution to this conflict”.However, the PM didn’t reveal what was discussed during the high-level meetings between the Pakistani and Saudi sides.
When asked by ‘The News’ to comment on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s victory in NA-246 in which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf lost by a huge margin to the MQM, the premier commented that “one should carefully consider before plunging into a situation and then getting into an awkward situation”.
The PM said that the PTI was defeated by the PML-N with a huge margin recently in Nankana Sahib by-election. “We originally won in Nankana Sahib with around 5,000 votes but after the death of our lawmaker, we went for the by-election and won by a mammoth margin of 38,000 votes. A similar situation happened with the PTI in NA-246,” said the PM.
Nawaz Sharif spoke extensively about the recent visit of the Chinese president to Pakistan. The PM said that the Chinese president had to cancel his visit earlier due to the sit-in staged in the capital by the PTI and PAT.
“China has brought to Pakistan an unprecedented investment of nearly $46 billion. It has taken Pakistan’s friendship with China to a new level. It was a historical visit. We have started many projects which are bearing fruit now. Investment at this level doesn’t take place even in developed countries. It’s a proof of China’s friendship that they have invested in power and energy sectors to help Pakistan deal with the crises. We are hopeful that through this investment, unemployment in Pakistan will go down, people will get jobs, economy will prosper, our reserves will get better and pace of our development will go up. We are very confident that Pakistan will see progress like never before,” said the PM.
Nawaz Sharif said that his government had reduced the electricity price in the country but unfortunately “the media has not highlighted it” and “it rather looks for Masala news”.
The PM said that from Karachi to the upcountry, from Gwadar to Nawabshah, and everywhere else, mega development projects had been started in all the areas to lead Pakistan to a new era of progress. The economic corridor project was going to help Pakistan like nothing else. The effects of these projects would be for all the country and everyone would get benefits.
Nawaz Sharif said that it had been decided that a specialist force would be created to provide security to the Chinese workers who would work on mega development projects. “This force will be dedicated to protecting the Chinese workers in Pakistan.”