Abu Dhabi visit for Pakistan’s Imran Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan set off yesterday on his first foreign trip since coming to power.
The former cricket star was due in Riyadh yesterday on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia. He will stop off in Abu Dhabi this evening.
“Prime Minister along with delegation will arrive in Abu Dhabi in the evening of September 19,” a Pakistan foreign ministry statement said.
The trip to Saudi Arabia comes a month after Mr Khan assumed office, with Pakistan facing a balance-of-payments crisis and speculation that the new premier could seek loans worth billions of dollars from allies.
The state visit has been arranged on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
“The prime minister will meet Saudi leadership and will discuss regional and international issues,” a senior government official said.
Mr Khan and his cabinet face the challenges of a faltering economy, extremism, water
shortages and a rapidly growing population.
The most pressing problem is a looming balance-of-payments crisis, with analysts predicting Pakistan will have to go to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.
There is media speculation that Pakistan is eyeing Saudi Arabia and China to provide loans worth billions of dollars that would prevent it from going back to the IMF.
Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a three-day official visit, the military said.
“During the visit [Gen Bajwa] will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart,” it said.