Islamabad (Web Desk): Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud on Tuesday said that there is a significant opportunity to increase the level of investments in Pakistan.
Addressing a joint news conference along with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad this evening, he said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) strongly believes in the potential of Pakistan especially in the economic sphere.
Describing his visit to Pakistan as very positive and productive, the Saudi foreign minister said that the engagements of his delegation with the Pakistani side have laid the framework for significant and important work to be done in the next few months to achieve the potential that exists.
“My visit to Pakistan will deliver significant benefit in the upcoming months,” the Saudi FM asserted.
He said that the delegation was impressed with the proactive and business focused approach of the Pakistani side especially the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
The Saudi FM said that this new intergovernmental and business-focused approach has given us a lot of confidence.
Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud said that both the countries will continue to work together for economic prosperity as well as security of the region and the world.
“We have stressed upon the commitment to further exploring avenues to deepen and strengthen this relationship,” he said.
The Saudi foreign minister was appreciative of the contributions made by Pakistani expatriates in the development of Saudi Arabia.
In his remarks, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan greatly appreciates the keen interest of Saudi Arabia in enhancing investments in Pakistan.
He said this visit provided the Saudi delegation with the first-hand experience of SIFC which serves as a one window platform for the fast track decision making and promoting and facilitating foreign direct investment.
“Pakistan is committed to strengthen investment processes, upgrading regulations and enhancing infrastructure to foster a flourishing economic environment and establishing Pakistan as a hub for investment inflows from Saudi Arabia and other friendly countries,” FM Dar said.
He reaffirmed the determination to providing Saudi investors full support, relevant safeguards and conducive environment for investment.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the SIFC and other relevant ministries to move forward on investment projects in a diligent and time bound manner,” he said.
Ishaq Dar said we are aiming to converting this relationship into a viable, strategic and economic partnership.
The Saudi foreign minister also addressed the situation in Gaza during the press conference, saying that international efforts so far towards a ceasefire were “wholly insufficient”.
More than 33,000 Palestinians had been killed, the world conscience must wake up and enforce an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid, he added.
“They are now facing a famine like situation and starving to death as the international humanitarian aid is not getting in. It is a complete failure of the international community,” the Saudi FM said.
Terming the situation unacceptable, he said there was no justification to it.
In reality, he said, the two United Nations resolutions regarding immediate ceasefire in Gaza had not seen implementation.
Foreign Minister Dar said that different investigations had been carried out across the world over the war crimes against humanity so why it could not take place in Gaza!
He reiterated that Pakistan believed that the perpetual solution to the issue was in the establishment of an independent state of Palestine with its pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
