PM Sharif all set to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, talks with Crown Prince

ISLAMABAD, (NNI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark on a threeday journey to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today to perform Umrah.

This would be the Prime Minister’s first foreign visit since his election. He will perform Umrah and offer prayers at the Masjid Nabawi Al-Sharif.

Alongside performing Umrah, the prime minister is also expected to hold meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on various projects and collaborations.

During the visit, Prime Minister Sharif will engage in discussions with Saudi authorities and leadership, exploring avenues for cooperation across multiple sectors, including agriculture.

Various investment projects will also be finalized during the visit. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments.

Accompanying Prime Minister Sharif will be Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, along with senior officials from the Finance Ministry.

The finance minister is poised to provide a comprehensive briefing on investment incentives and opportunities in Saudi Arabia, it has been learnt. Saudi Arabia will be provided special incentives for investment in Reko Diq, with plans indicating that Saudi's share could be the largest investment in the project.

Sources say that the SIFC platform is bringing in major investment into Reko Diq.

The finance minister informed the PM about Saudi Arabia's investment in Reko Diq, while the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, and the Board of Investment also presented a detailed plan to the prime minister. The SIFC has also been taken into confidence regarding investment in the project.

Members of the investment committee will also visit Saudi Arabia

The visit to Saudi Arabia will also see members of the special investment committee, formed for investment in Reko Diq, travel with the PM.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan and KSA have longstanding fraternal relations rooted in religious and cultural affinity.

She said the people of Pakistan have the deepest respect and regard for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The spokesperson said the leadership of both countries is committed to advancing the fraternal ties and mutually rewarding economic and investment relations.