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Saudi Crown Prince wins hearts in Pakistan

News Network
February 19, 2019

Feb 19: Dubai The historic two-day official visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman concluded with a strong message about the ‘bright future of Pakistan.

“Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman won the hearts of the people of Pakistan when he said “consider me Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia” in response to my asking him to treat the 2.5 mn Pakistani’s working in KSA as his own,” Prime Minister Imran Khan summed up his feelings in his tweet.

Crown Prince Mohammad was seen off on Monday by Premier Imran and Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the Nur Khan Airbase. But before leaving, they held a candid but important press conference.

Imran thanked the Crown Prince for his visit hoping that he would stay longer next time “so I can show you the beauty of Pakistan and the northern areas.” He also thanked Prince Mohammad for his announcement of releasing more than 2,000 Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails with immediate effect. “I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Pakistan” for announcing the release of Pakistani prisoners,” he said. He also thanked the crown prince for the agreements worth $20 billion that were signed on the first day of his visit in Islamabad.

We believe in Pakistan’s future and that it has a huge opportunity. In 2030, Pakistan will be next to two huge economies.

- Mohammad Bin Salman

“I woke up this morning and when I looked at my mobile phone, I realised ─ after your statement last night saying that you would be Pakistan’s ambassador in Saudi Arabia ─ that if you stand in elections here, you would get more votes than me,” Imran said on a lighter note, addressing the Crown Prince who was standing at a podium to his right. “You are extremely popular,” he added.

Crown Prince Mohammad told the press conference: “We believe in Pakistan’s future and that it has a huge opportunity. In 2030, Pakistan will be next to two huge economies. One, China will be the largest economy in 2030, and two, India will be the third-largest economy so Pakistan will definitely benefit from these neighbours,” he said.

Huge Potential

“We saw the Pakistani economy grow by 5 per cent in 2018 so we believe that Pakistan has huge potential, it could be one of top 20 economies in the future,” he reiterated.

“If the efforts of the leadership, the people of Pakistan, and their allies come together, definitely it can reach that one day,” he added.

Saudi Arabia has always been a 'friend in need' to Pakistan. For Pakistanis, this is a great day.

- Imran Khan

“So because of that, we believe in Pakistan and we want to be part of that journey and we want to risk our money, risk our efforts, to start from day one,” he explained.

“What we did today, it’s the beginning and we hope in the close future we do more and more partnering with Pakistan,” he said.

Pakistan is a very important country

After receiving a very warm welcome upon his arrival in Islamabad on Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammad engaged in various activities lined up for the day.

Speaking at the official reception at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad, Prince Mohammad said Pakistan will be a very, very important country in the future and that his country had been waiting for a leadership like that of Prime Minister Imran Khan to partner with Islamabad in various areas.

“Whatever we did was the beginning and I hope in the near future we do more,” he said.

That was evident in Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a whopping $20 billion investment to help Pakistan tide over its economic problems.

The credit for that change goes to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who unlike his predecessors, sought investment instead of charity. The Saudi investment is not a charity as it will benefit both the countries.

The investment will be mainly in minerals, tourism, petrochemicals, agriculture, food processing and other key sectors.

The crown prince said Pakistan is a “dear country” to all Saudis and that the two countries “have walked together in tough and good times”.

Prime Minister Imran in his speech welcomed the Saudi crown prince and his delegation to the country, saying the Kingdom has always been a “friend in need” to Pakistan.

“For Pakistanis, this is a great day,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia had always been there when Pakistan needed friends.

Imran said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were now taking their relationship to a new level, where investment agreements would be mutually beneficial for the countries.

Khan told the Crown Prince that if it hadn’t been for security concerns, “you would have seen thousands and thousands of people on the streets welcoming you.”

Imran’s request

He requested the Crown Prince to allow Pakistani Haj pilgrims to complete immigration at the three major Pakistani airports before leaving for Saudi Arabia for their convenience.

Prime Minister Imran requested the Saudi authorities to look into the hardships of Pakistani labourers working in the Kingdom.

In response, the Crown Prince told Prime Minister Khan he could consider him the ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia.

“We cannot say no to Pakistan ... whatever we can do, we will deliver that,” he said.

Saudi Pakistan Supreme Council

Bilateral ties also received a significant boost with the launch of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council. Chaired by Imran and Prince Mohammad, the council is a high-level institutional mechanism to fast-track decisions in critical aspects of cooperation, and to monitor its implementation in three key areas: political and security, economic, social and culture.

Seven MoUs signed

Seven Memoranda of Understanding were signed at a ceremony witnessed by Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister Imran at the Prime Minister’s House,

The agreements signed include:

Technical cooperation programme between the Saudi Standards, Metrology And Quality Organisation (SASO) and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

Cooperation agreement between Saudi and Pakistani governments in the field of sports.

Financing agreement for the import of Saudi goods between the Saudi Fund for Development and Pakistan.

Framework MoU regarding Saudi funds’ participation in the financing of power generation projects between the Saudi Fund for Development and Pakistan.

MoU between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in refining and petrochemical sectors.

MoU between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the field of mineral resource sector.

MoU between the government of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on the development of renewable energy projects.

Prime Minister Khan also held a one-on-one meeting with the Saudi crown prince at PM House. It was followed by the inaugural session of the Saudi-Pak This is not charity

In response to the Saudi investment of $20 billion in different projects in Pakistan, , Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir said on Monday: “This is not charity, but investment for the benefit of the two countries.”

“We are developing a roadmap with set targets ahead in areas including counter-terrorism, economy, people-to-people contacts and culture to further deepen our relations,” the Saudi Minister said in a joint press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Working Groups

Foreign Minister Qureshi said 10 joint working groups had been formed under the Saudi-Pak Supreme Coordination Council, which would meet every three months. He said the Council would coordinate in areas including security, defence, intelligence sharing and energy and the leadership would oversee the implementation of projects.

What analysts say

Senior officials and analysts praised the visit. They said it presents a “historic opportunity” to expand collaboration in all sectors.

Dr. Huma Baqai, expert on International Relations, said the high-profile visit is manifestation of the strength of the relationship and it would go a long way in building strategic and economic relations that have been the hallmark of two brotherly countries.

Economist Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said Pakistan is facing several economic challenges and Saudi investment in development projects in the country would send across a positive message to the world about Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia was investing in long-term projects, which showed that Middle East countries have sighted Pakistan to be a developed country in the near future, he said.

The economist said the main focus of Pakistan is to strengthen trade, agriculture, tourism and other relations with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is interested to establish an oil refinery in Gwadar.

Former Foreign Secretary Najam-ud-Din Sheikh said the Saudi relationship with Pakistan is considered to be exemplary and exceptional. He said Pakistan supported Saudi’s role and provided all out assistance to the Kingdom at political, military and diplomatic levels. Former Ambassador Fauzia Nasreen also praised the visit. She said heavy investment in development projects would be a message to the world that Pakistan is a haven for foreign investors.

Prisoner release

Prince Mohammad Bin Salman ordered the immediate release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners from jails in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Crown Prince Salman ordered the release of prisoners following a request from Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said cases of other Pakistani prisoners would also be reviewed.

The minister tweeted: “As a sequel to Prime Minister of Pakistan request, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails. Saudi Crown Prince arrived in Islamabad on a two-day official visit on Sunday.

Oil refinery

The biggest Saudi investment will be to set up an oil refinery in port city Gwadar. The oil refinery and petrochemical complex with an investment of around $11 billion would open new energy vistas in Pakistan. The Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with his Saudi counterpart to set up a $10 billion oil refinery, $ 1 billion petrochemical complex, installation of two Re-gassified Liquefied Petroleum Gas (RLNG) plants at an estimated cost of $4 billion and $2 billion investment in mineral development sector, an official source told APP.

“The petrochemical complex and refinery will help bring down the country’s oil import bill by $ 1.2 billion annually,” he said, adding Pakistan’s annual oil consumption was around 26 million tons (MT), out of which 13.5 MT was met through local production of eight existing oil refineries. “Around 50 per cent crude oil is imported to meet energy needs.”

Highest Civil Award for Crown Prince

President Dr Arif Alvi conferred the Pakistan’s highest civil award “Nishan-e-Pakistan” on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman during a ceremony at the Aiwan-e-Sad in Islamabad.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan, federal ministers, three Services Chiefs, Chairman Joint Chiefs of the Staff Committee, members of the Saudi delegation and senior civil and military officials.

The country’s highest civil award was conferred on the Saudi Crown Prince in recognition of his efforts and contributions towards enhancing bilateral brotherly and traditional ties between the two countries.

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News Network
May 15,2020

May 15: Global tensions simmered over the race for a coronavirus vaccine Thursday, as the United States and China traded jabs, and France slammed pharmaceuticals giant Sanofi for suggesting the US would get any eventual vaccine first.

Scientists are working at breakneck speed to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which has killed more than 300,000 people worldwide and pummelled economies.

From the US to Europe to Asia, national and local governments are easing lockdown orders to get people back to work -- while fretting over a possible second wave of infections.

Increased freedom of movement means an increased risk of contracting the virus, and so national labs and private firms are labouring to find the right formula for a vaccine.

The European Union's medicines agency offered some hope when it said one could be ready in a year, based on data from clinical trials already underway.

But Marco Cavaleri, the EMA's head of vaccines strategy, acknowledged that timeline was a "best-case scenario," and cautioned that "there may be delays."

The race for a vaccine has exposed a raw nerve in relations between the United States and China, where the virus was first detected late last year in the central city of Wuhan.

Two US agencies warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers were trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research -- a claim Beijing rejected as "smearing" its reputation.

US President Donald Trump, who has ratcheted up the rhetoric against China, said he doesn't even want to engage with Chinese leader Xi Jinping -- potentially imperilling a trade deal between the world's top two economies.

"I'm very disappointed in China. I will tell you that right now," he said in an interview with Fox Business.

"There are many things we could do. We could do things. We could cut off the whole relationship."

On Capitol Hill, an ousted US health official told Congress that the Trump government had no strategy in place to find and distribute a vaccine to millions of Americans, warning of the "darkest winter" ahead.

"We don't have a single point of leadership right now for this response, and we don't have a master plan," said Rick Bright, who was removed last month as head of the US agency charged with developing a coronavirus vaccine.

The United States has registered nearly 86,000 deaths linked to COVID-19 -- the highest toll of any nation.

World leaders were among 140 signatories to a letter published Thursday saying any vaccine should not be patented and that the science should be shared among nations.

"Governments and international partners must unite around a global guarantee which ensures that, when a safe and effective vaccine is developed, it is produced rapidly at scale and made available for all people, in all countries, free of charge," it said.

But a row erupted in France after drugmaker Sanofi said it would reserve first shipments of any vaccine it discovered to the United States.

The comments prompted a swift rebuke from the French government -- President Emmanuel Macron's office said any vaccine should be treated as "a global public good, which is not submitted to market forces."

Sanofi chief executive Paul Hudson said the US had a risk-sharing model that allowed for manufacturing to start before a vaccine had been finally approved -- while Europe did not.

"The US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it's invested in taking the risk," Hudson told Bloomberg News.

Macron's top officials are scheduled to meet with Sanofi executives about the issue next week.

The search for a vaccine became even more urgent after the World Health Organization said the disease may never go away and the world would have to learn to live with it for good.

"This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away," said Michael Ryan, the UN body's emergencies director.

The prospect of the disease lingering leaves governments facing a delicate balancing act between suppressing the pathogen and getting their economies up and running.

In the US, more grim economic data emerged Thursday, with nearly three million more Americans applying for unemployment benefits.

That takes the overall total to 36.5 million -- more than 10 percent of the US population.

Further signs of the damage to businesses emerged when Lloyd's of London forecast the pandemic will cost the global insurance industry about $203 billion.

European markets closed down, but Wall Street rallied despite the new jobless claims. In a sign of progress, the New York Stock Exchange trading floor was due to reopen on May 26.

The reopening of economies continued in earnest across Europe, where the EU has set out proposals for a phased restart of travel and the eventual lifting of border controls.

"Maybe it's a mistake, but we have no choice. Without tourists, we won't get by!" Enrico Facchetti, a 61-year-old former goldsmith, said of Venice's reopening.

Japan -- the world's third largest economy -- lifted a state of emergency across most of the country except for Tokyo and Osaka.

And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said national parks would partially reopen on June 1.

But in Latin America, the virus continued to surge, with a 60 percent leap in cases in the Chilean capital of Santiago.

Authorities said 2,000 new graves were being dug at the main cemetery.

South Sudan reported its first COVID-19 death on Thursday.

And in Bangladesh, the first case was confirmed in the teeming Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, which are home to nearly one million people.

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News Network
January 30,2020

Mumbai, Jan 30: The Shiv Sena on Thursday endorsed Union home minister Amit Shah's view that alleged inflammatory statements made by Sharjeel Imam, an anti- Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) activist, were dangerous.

No politics should be done on the issue, and such "pest" afflicting the country should be finished off, it said.

Imam was arrested on Tuesday in connection with his speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and in Aligarh during anti-CAA protests.

He has been booked for sedition, among other offences.

In an editorial published in its mouthpiece `Saamana', the Sena, a former ally of the BJP, said, "We agree with union home minister's comments that Sharjeel Imam's alleged words of separation are more dangerous than that of Kanhaiya Kumar."

Kumar, former student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University, had been arrested over alleged separatist slogans shouted during a protest on varsity campus.

The Sena, which has formed alliance with the Congress and NCP to come to power in Maharashtra, is often seen walking a tightrope to preserve its credentials as a pro-Hindutva party.

"The union home ministry, while initiating action against Imam, should not indulge in politics and try to finish off this pest that is afflicting our country," the editorial said.

"One must find out why such language of breaking up this country into pieces is being used by the educated youth of this country more and more frequently. Who is spewing such venom into the mind of Sharjeel who did his graduation from IIT-B and now pursuing PhD from JNU?" the Sena asked.

"Even people involved in Elgar Parishad at Pune are facing sedition charges and these people have been known as intellectuals and are well-known personalities," said the party.

"A conspiracy to bring about a conflict between Hindus and Muslims and ensure continuance of anarchy and civil war as in Iraq and Afghanistan exists. The boost for such activities is coming from a 'political laboratory'," the editorial said.

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News Network
May 20,2020

United Nations, May 20: Highlighting India's long-standing history of promoting inclusive and peaceful societies, a top UN official on Tuesday voiced concern over incidents of "increased hate speech and discrimination" against minority communities in the country following the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng, however, welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for unity and brotherhood in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

Dieng said in a note to the media on Tuesday that he is "concerned over reports of increased hate speech and discrimination against minority communities in India" since the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019.

The Indian government has maintained that the CAA is an internal matter of the country and stressed that the goal is to protect the oppressed minorities of neighbouring countries.

The CAA, which was notified on January 10, grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, following persecution over their faith.

"While the objective of the act, to provide protection to minority communities is commendable, it is concerning that this protection is not extended to all groups, including Muslims. This is contrary to India’s obligations under international human rights law, in particular on non-discrimination,” Dieng said.

The Special Adviser recognised "India’s long standing and well recognised history of promoting inclusive and peaceful societies, with respect for equality and principles of non-discrimination.”

He also welcomed recent statements by Prime Minister Modi that the COVID-19 pandemic “does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or border before striking and that our response and conduct...should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood.”

Dieng encouraged the Government of India to "continue to abide by this guidance by ensuring that national laws and policies follow international standards related to non-discrimination and to address and counter the rise of hate speech through messages of inclusion, respect for diversity and unity.”

He further reiterated that he would continue to follow developments and expressed his readiness to support initiatives to counter and address hate speech.

The hate speech and the dehumanisation of others goes against international human rights norms and values, he added.

“In these extraordinary times brought about by the COVID-19 crisis it is more important than ever that we stand united as one humanity, demonstrating unity and solidarity rather than division and hate,” he said.

Dieng also expressed concern over reports of violence during demonstrations against CAA in some regions of India.

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