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Tahir Ashrafi reaches Saudi Arabia to attend summit
ISLAMABAD/ RIYADH – Prime Minister Imran Khan is leaving for Saudi Arabia on Saturday (today) on a three-day official visit to attend the launching ceremony of the “Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit being held in Riyadh.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is visiting the Kingdom to attend the Summit at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. PM Khan will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the foreign minister and other members of the cabinet.
At the MGI Summit, the Prime Minister will share his perspective on the challenges faced by the developing countries due to climate change. He will also highlight Pakistan’s experience of launching nature-based solutions to address the environmental challenges, Foreign Office said in a statement issued on Friday. The MGI Summit, the first of its kind in the Middle East Region, is being held at the initiative of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
It may be recalled “Green Saudi Arabia” and “Green Middle East” initiatives were launched by the Crown Prince in March 2021 aimed at protecting the nature and planet.
Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed these two initiatives and offered to share experiences and lessons from Pakistan’s “Clean and Green Pakistan” and Prime Minister’s “10 billion Tree Tsunami.”
The Prime Minister will have bilateral interaction with the Saudi leadership, with particular focus on advancing economic and trade relations; creating more opportunities for Pakistani workforce; and welfare of Pakistani Diaspora in the Kingdom.
The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will also participate in an event on promotion of investment in Pakistan and interact with leading investors and businessmen from Saudi Arabia and Pakistani Diaspora in the Kingdom. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing and historic fraternal relations, rooted deep in common faith, shared history and mutual support.
Saudi Arabia is home to more than two million Pakistanis, contributing towards the progress and prosperity of both countries. The relationship is marked by frequent high-level visits, close cooperation in all fields, and mutual collaboration on regional and international issues, including at the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. The visit of the Prime Minister will carry forward the positive momentum of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the statement concluded.
Tahir Ashrafi leaves for Saudi Arabia to attend summit
Special Representative to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood on Friday left for Saudi Arabia to attend “Green Saudi Initiative Forum” and the “Green Middle East Initiative Summit” being held in Riyadh from Oct 23-25 in which over 20 heads of states from across the region would endorse targets for shared environmental commitments.
Talking to media, Ashrafi, who is also Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman, said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are enjoying cordial and long lasting ties.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan would also leave for Saudi Arabia on Saturday to participate in the summit and he (Ashrafi) was part of PM’s entourage.
The “Green Saudi Arabia” and Green Middle East “initiatives were gift for the whole world, he said adding that Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman had invited the prime minister to visit Saudi Arabia to attend the summit. Besides performing Umrah and visiting Roza e Rasool (PBUH), the Prime Minister would also hold important meetings with Saudi Crown Prince and Saudi leadership, he added.