Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to enhance bilateral economic ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday agreed to enhancing bilateral economic ties.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed A Al Malkiy called on Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan in his office on Wednesday. The Saudi ambassador congratulated him on assumption of the new portfolio of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The two sides discussed the level of ongoing bilateral economic cooperation and agreed to enhance the existing level of cooperation to mutual benefit of the two countries. The Saudi ambassador said the Saudi side is ready to play a much stronger role in the economic development of Pakistan.

Ayub congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the progress and new development plans of Saudi Arabia under the sagacious leadership of the custodian of the two Holy Grand Mosques. He said the government and the people of Pakistan hold Saudi Arabia in high esteem.

The existing level of cooperation between the two countries is based on mutual trust and brotherhood. Both the countries enjoy close fraternal relations that are marked by common understanding on all issues of mutual interest at the regional and international level.

The minister appreciated that Saudi Arabia has been generous enough to finance development projects in Pakistan through loans and grants in the field of Education, Health, Infrastructure and Energy, etc.

He recalled the visit in February 2019 of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, which strengthened the brotherly relations between the two brotherly countries. The Saudi ambassador appreciated the support of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all international and diplomatic issues and hoped that the two countries will come out of the current COVID-19 pandemic by taking all precautionary measures and successful roll out of vaccination process.

The ambassador appreciated the constructive role of Pakistani expatriate workers in different sectors in the kingdom. The two sides reaffirmed the resolve to cement bilateral socioeconomic, commercial, cultural and diplomatic relations.