Dawn.com, Islamabad :
The arrival of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in the federal capital on his first two-day official visit to Pakistan has been delayed by a day for unknown reasons.
Earlier, the crown prince was due in Islamabad on Saturday but, according to the Foreign Office, a slight change has been made in his schedule and now he is coming on Sunday tomorrow.
Islamabad is describing the visit as a “historical one” which will help stabilise the crippling economy of the country as over $21 billion Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are likely to be inked between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during the visit. Not only the government but the opposition has also hailed the visit of the crown prince as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari have welcomed the crown prince in their statements.
Unprecedented security measures are being taken for the visit of the crown prince as twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be sealed for two days (on Sunday and Monday) and mobile
service will remain suspended there. Mohammad bin Salman now arriving on Sunday; $21bn MoUs likely to be signed during two-day stay
Two separate receptions will be held in the Presidency and Prime Minister House in honour of the crown prince during which one-on-one meetings between Prince Mohammad bin Salman and President Arif Alvi and the prince and Prime Minister Imran Khan will take place. The crown prince will also meet Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Media reports said the government had reserved several hotels for the big Saudi delegation. As many as 750 rooms have been booked in eight Islamabad hotels for the visiting delegation.
Prime Minister Khan and the crown prince will co-chair meetings of various joint working groups on trade, investment, energy, science, information and media. The prince will be accompanied by a delegation of royals, key ministers and leading businessmen. Twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been put on high alert and Section 144 has been imposed in the capital with airspace shut down arrangements on Feb 17 and 18. According to police, 1,000 checkpoints have been set up across the twin cities, five in the limits of each police station. As many as 300 Land Cruisers have been reserved for the visiting delegation and a gym has been set up in PM House for the crown prince. At a time when the country is struggling with the dwindling foreign exchange reserves, Pakistan expects a highest-ever investment announcement to the tune of about $21 billion during the visit of the Saudi prince.
The arrival of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in the federal capital on his first two-day official visit to Pakistan has been delayed by a day for unknown reasons.
Earlier, the crown prince was due in Islamabad on Saturday but, according to the Foreign Office, a slight change has been made in his schedule and now he is coming on Sunday tomorrow.
Islamabad is describing the visit as a “historical one” which will help stabilise the crippling economy of the country as over $21 billion Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are likely to be inked between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during the visit. Not only the government but the opposition has also hailed the visit of the crown prince as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari have welcomed the crown prince in their statements.
Unprecedented security measures are being taken for the visit of the crown prince as twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be sealed for two days (on Sunday and Monday) and mobile
service will remain suspended there. Mohammad bin Salman now arriving on Sunday; $21bn MoUs likely to be signed during two-day stay
Two separate receptions will be held in the Presidency and Prime Minister House in honour of the crown prince during which one-on-one meetings between Prince Mohammad bin Salman and President Arif Alvi and the prince and Prime Minister Imran Khan will take place. The crown prince will also meet Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Media reports said the government had reserved several hotels for the big Saudi delegation. As many as 750 rooms have been booked in eight Islamabad hotels for the visiting delegation.
Prime Minister Khan and the crown prince will co-chair meetings of various joint working groups on trade, investment, energy, science, information and media. The prince will be accompanied by a delegation of royals, key ministers and leading businessmen. Twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been put on high alert and Section 144 has been imposed in the capital with airspace shut down arrangements on Feb 17 and 18. According to police, 1,000 checkpoints have been set up across the twin cities, five in the limits of each police station. As many as 300 Land Cruisers have been reserved for the visiting delegation and a gym has been set up in PM House for the crown prince. At a time when the country is struggling with the dwindling foreign exchange reserves, Pakistan expects a highest-ever investment announcement to the tune of about $21 billion during the visit of the Saudi prince.
