MAKKAH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) extended a special invitation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation for an Iftar at Al-Safa Palace on Sunday.
Shehbaz arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a three-day visit from April 6 to 8.
Upon arrival in Makkah, the Prime Minister performed Umrah and was warmly received by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Bin Saeed Al-Malkiy and other high-level officials at the Makkah railway station.
According to the Saudi Gazette, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the Iftar at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, which was attended by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Crown Prince of Bahrain. A statement from the PM Office confirmed that the Crown Prince had personally invited PM Shehbaz’s delegation for the Iftar, which also included Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and members of the federal cabinet.
Accompanied by federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Abdul Aleem Khan, Attaullah Tarar, and Ahad Khan Cheema, Shehbaz participated in a one-on-one meeting with MBS after the Iftar.
During the meeting, Shehbaz conveyed prayers and well wishes for the health and well-being of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome received by the Saudi authorities. Both leaders expressed appreciation for the strong bilateral relations and reiterated their commitment to further strengthen them.
Earlier, Shehbaz, along with Maryam Nawaz, offered Isha prayers and nawafil at Masjid-e-Nabwi and paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH).
The visit aims to finalize multiple development projects and enhance bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including agriculture, with sources indicating that Saudi Arabia is expected to invest $1 billion in the Reko Diq project.
Pakistan and KSA share longstanding fraternal relations based on religious and cultural ties, with a mutual commitment to advancing economic and investment relations.
Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz has formed a high-level committee to review climate change governance and mechanisms to access climate funds.
Coordinator to the PM on Climate Change Romina Khursheed Alam and Executive Director Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Dr. Abid Sulehri are among the members of this committee, which will focus on mainstreaming climate considerations across government organizations and integrating them into the development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The committee will also evaluate existing and proposed institutional mechanisms and policies to mobilize climate finance, including carbon finance, and attract private capital from various sources.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
