ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Saudi Shoura Council Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Shaikh arrived in Islamabad, Tuesday, with his delegation on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafar ul Haq along with other lawmakers received the delegation at Nur Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi.
The visit is a continuation of the Parliamentary linkage firmed up by visit of Chairman Senate of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last year.
He has been invited by Pakistan’s Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani to further the bilateral relationship between the two countries and boost cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, according to a statement issued by the chairman Senate’s office.
“The visit is a continuation of the Parliamentary linkage firmed up by visit of Chairman Senate of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last year,” the statement added.
During the visit, the visiting Saudi official will hold meetings with Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership including President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chairman Sanjrani, speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser and army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Other than the high profile engagements, the delegation will also be given guided tours to Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF), Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, and Ministry of Ports and Shipping at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) on where officials will brief the visiting delegation on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the development work and future prospects of Gwadar respectively.
A Pakistani delegation led by Sanjrani visited Saudi Arabia earlier in December last year upon the invitation from the chairman of Saudi Shoura Council.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong bilateral ties which the two have recently agreed to deepen through cooperation in diverse fields.
Chairman of Saudi Shoura Council arrives in Islamabad
Chairman of Saudi Shoura Council arrives in Islamabad
- The visit is a continuation of parliamentary ties
- Visiting official expected to meet the country's civilian and military leadership
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
