The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is scheduled to visit Pakistan on 16th February for two days. This is the first high-level visit by a Saudi Royal in 30 years and that’s why the visit is of very high significance. It will be his first-ever visit to Pakistan as the crown prince. He has developed a personal friendship with Prime Minister Imran Khan. On his first visit to Saudi Arabia, Imran Khan established a close friendship with the Crown Prince, this friendship became more evident when the Crown Prince took Imran Khan on a short drive to discuss matters of mutual interest while driving the car himself.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sought to develop extensive commercial, cultural, religious, political, and strategic relations since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947. Pakistan affirms its relationship with Saudi Arabia as their most “important bilateral partnership” in the current foreign policy of Pakistan. Working and seeking to develop closer bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia, the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula and host to the two holiest cities of Islam is absolutely crucial to Islamabad.
Imran Khans last visit to Saudi Arabia proved very beneficial for Pakistan. Saudi Arabia agreed to help Pakistan’s balance of payment crisis by lending $3 Billion and agreed to provide oil on deferred payments for 3 more years. Pakistan imports oil worth of $ 3.2 Billion annually, so that would sum up to $ 9.6 Billion in three years. All these moves would ease up Pakistan’s liquidity crisis. The young Crown Prince wants to develop bilateral relations, especially in economic terms. Various delegations of Saudi Ministries visited Pakistan to draw up feasibility studies on projects like the Oil refinery.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, Pakistanis hold the most favorable perception of the desert kingdom in the world, with 95 percent of respondents viewing Saudi Arabia favorably. A large number of Pakistanis are living in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s major source of Foreign Exchange remittance comes from the Pakistani Diaspora in Saudi Arabia. The foreign exchange remittance from Saudi Arabia reached around $5 billion a year.
Historically, Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia are ideal. However, this visit is on a very critical moment, under the emerging geopolitical scenario of the region. The Syria war, Yemen War, Iran Issue, and many other regional and international issues, affecting the fate of this region. This visit will be the foundation of re-aligning the friendship and bilateral relations.
Pakistan is currently passing through the worst economic crisis, where it is under a foreign debt of US$ 95 billion, and foreign exchange reserves are dwindling.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, both are facing new challenges, they may cooperate and support each other to overcome the emerging challenges in the days to come. The Crown Prince and PM Imran Khan, both are visionary leaders and can predict the emerging trends in the geopolitics situation. This visit will help to plan the strategies to meet the challenges of the future.
Both the countries are on the same page on regional and international issues and support each other on all platforms like UN, OIC, etc. There exists a complete harmony between the two nations. In the past, we always stood side by side and will stand with each other in the future too.
The Crown Prince is visiting Pakistan along with a big delegation of government officials and businessmen. His delegations consists of 1100 people. He will be received with grand official ceremonies and security in the capital city Islamabad has been beefed up. It is expected that 8 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) will be signed in various areas of cooperation. A big investment is expected to come to Pakistan. Deliberations were made in Saudi Cabinet meeting, where expert teams explored the avenues cooperation and facilitation of investment in Pakistan. On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan also discussed the visit of Crown Prince with his cabinet and discussed all aspects in details. The Government of Pakistan has a very comprehensive strategy to receive him, make his stay safe and comfortable, and his trip fruitful.
It is expected, with this visit, a new chapter of Pak-Saudi relations will start, which will become a role model for the rest of the world to be followed. It will deepen our traditional friendship and scope of cooperation will enhance covering all spheres of life.
