ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Capital is set to accord a historic welcome to visiting Saudi high-powered delegation led by the Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman Al Saud as his visit will open a new vista of bilateral cooperation.
The Saudi Crown Prince and his delegation will be escorted by a formation of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets when they will enter the Pakistani airspace on Sunday (February 17) followed by a 21-gun salute for visiting dignitaries.
The delegation earlier was scheduled to reach Pakistan on February 16 but later their visit was delayed for one day.
Muhammad Bin Salman will be accompanied by members of Saudi Royal family, key ministers and leading businessmen on his first State-level visit to Pakistan since his elevation to the position of Crown Prince in April 2017.
The Crown Prince will meet President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and a group of Pakistani Senators.
His accompanying ministers’ meetings with their Pakistani Counterparts are also on the line.
In addition, a banquet will be held at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad in honor of the visiting dignitary. Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman will also address on the occasion.
The two Countries will sign a number of agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) worth billion of dollars in diverse sectors.
As per the Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Affairs, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will ink following MoUs and agreements during Crown Prince’s visit.
- MoU on Drug Control, Smuggling and Psychotropic Substances.
- MoU in field of Mineral Resources.
- MoU on Development of Renewable Energy Projects.
- Agreement on Technical Cooperation in Standardization, improving Trade and removing Technical Barriers to Trade.
- MoU on Combatting Organized Crime.
- Agreement in the field of Youth and Sports.
- An Executive Program for Media Cooperation.
- MoU on establishment of an Integrated Complex and Petrochemical Refinery.
- An Executive Program for Media Cooperation.
- An Executive Program for cultural cooperation.
Dr Faisal said that during the visit, a Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SCC) led by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Imran Khan will be launched, which will help the two Countries for effective coordination & follow up to achieve mutually agreed objectives.
“The visit of His Royal Highness Muhammad Bin Salman underscores that Pakistan has the potential both human and natural and promise to turn itself into a strong and economically vibrant country and as Prime Minister Imran Khan said in Dubai, “Don’t Miss the Boat”,” Dr Faisal said in a tweet.
Meanwhile various initiatives have been taken in Islamabad to ensure that Saudis’ visit to Islamabad is held smoothly and peacefully. Not only security has been tightened in the Federal Capital with the deployment of hundreds of armed personnel but a special traffic diversion plan has also been chalked out as a security measure.
Local Holiday in Islamabad on Monday
In addition, a local holiday has also been declared in Islamabad on Monday (February 18) to reduce inconvenience to the general public.
However the Offices of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration, ICT Police, Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI), IESCO, SNGPL and Hospitals would remain open on Monday.
