Khaberni - Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif begins today, Wednesday, an extensive diplomatic tour including three pivotal countries, namely: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
This tour, which lasts for four days, is part of Pakistan's strenuous efforts to facilitate a potential second round of talks between the United States and Iran, and to explore new prospects for strategic partnerships.
Tour Agenda
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement clarified that the Riyadh and Doha stops will be "in a bilateral framework", as the Prime Minister will focus his discussions with Saudi and Qatari leaderships on ongoing bilateral cooperation in addition to peace and regional security.
At the third stop, the Prime Minister will head to Turkey to participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and he will hold bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and several other leaders on the sidelines of the forum.
The statement indicated that Pakistan's participation in the forum reflects its ongoing commitment to constructive diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and meaningful engagement with the international community on globally significant issues.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, the Prime Minister's Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi, along with other high officials.
Saudi Support
Concurrently, Pakistani Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb revealed that Saudi Arabia will provide an additional support of 3 billion dollars to his country, alongside extending a previous deposit of 5 billion dollars for a longer period.
This move will help bridge a funding gap of billions of dollars, linked to financial commitments and debts due to the Emirates.
The spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Finance told Reuters, "We confirm that Saudi Arabia has agreed to deposit 3 billion dollars with Pakistan to support its balance of payments."
