Saudi’s Pakistan visit put off till today

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani officials said Saturday that a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Islamabad has been delayed by a day, a sudden announcement that surprised many Pakistanis, who were preparing to welcome the Saudi delegation under extraordinary security in the capital.

Without giving any explanation, the Foreign Ministry said Prince Mohammed will now arrive today in Islamabad on a two-day visit and that his program remains unchanged. It will be the crown prince’s first visit to Pakistan since he was appointed heir to the throne in 2017.

The prince had been originally scheduled to go to Pakistan later Saturday, along with a delegation of businessmen. But Pakistani officials confirmed Saturday that a conference of Pakistani and Saudi business leaders was postponed “due to unavoidable circumstances.” It suggested that the prince will now visit Pakistan with a reduced number of business officials.

Pakistan expects a $7 billion Saudi investment over the next two years after the visit

Last year, Pakistan voiced its support for the prince when he faced international anger over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. The kingdom quickly signed an agreement for a $6 billion assistance package after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan attended an investment conference in October that saw a wave of cancellations linked to the Khashoggi killing.