ISLAMABAD: Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan met with Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Monday where the two discussed matters of bilateral and regional interest.
During the meeting in Islamabad, Sanjrani lauded the Saudi government, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his plans to invest in Pakistan, especially in the mineral-rich southwestern province of Balochistan, a statement released by his office read.
Sanjari said that Pakistan valued its relationship with Saudi Arabia and hopes that it “expand further.”
“There are huge opportunities for investment in Pakistan and Saudi investors can benefit from investing in different sectors,” Sanjrani told Al-Malki.
The Saudi envoy, for his part, congratulated Sanjrani for winning the confidence of the Senate or the upper house of the parliament last week after he survived a no-confidence motion by the opposition parties.
“The Upper House (Senate) can play an important role in promoting the relations between the two countries,” the statement read.
During the meeting with the Saudi envoy, Sanjrani also discussed the recent tensions in Kashmir and said that the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) can help highlight the issues of the people of “occupied Kashmir.” “Saudi Arabia should play its role in resolving the Kashmir issue,” Sanjrani said.
The statement, quoting Al-Malki, added: “Pakistan is an important country in the region and solutions to problems can be found through negotiation.”
On Sunday, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Raja Ali Ejaz called on Dr. Abdullah Mosa Altayer, Chief Adviser to the Secretary General of the Organization of the OIC and apprised him on the “Indian aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Indian military’s use of illegal cluster ammunition to target civilian populations,” the Pakistan Consulate General in Jeddah said.
Senate chairman lauds Saudi for its plans to invest in Pakistan
Senate chairman lauds Saudi for its plans to invest in Pakistan
- Sanjrani also discussed the situation in Kashmir during talks with envoy
- Says Riyadh can benefit from investment opportunities in Islamabad
Punjab warns of action against hoarders as Islamabad seals petrol stations denying fuel
- Long queues of vehicles were seen outside fuel stations as Pakistan announced a hike in petroleum prices late Friday
- The Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority says fuel stations involved in hoarding will have their licenses revoked
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Punjab province on Saturday warned of action against the ones hoarding petroleum products, while authorities in federal capital of Islamabad sealed seven petrol stations for denying fuel to motorists, amid global supply constraints due to the Middle East tensions.
Global oil markets have been rattled since coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran began last week, triggering retaliatory attacks across the region, raising fears of disruption of key energy shipping routes and pushing petroleum prices upward.
Pakistan announced a hike of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in petrol and diesel prices late Friday, with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and others saying they were monitoring international energy markets and domestic supply conditions to bring down the prices as soon as the conflict is resolved.
In a statement issued from her office, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz assured the masses that the province had ample stock of petroleum products and the Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority (PERA) had been tasked with ensuring supply in the region.
“A grand operation has been launched against hoarders and profiteers of petroleum products,” the statement said, adding that fuel stations found creating artificial shortages would be immediately sealed and their licenses revoked.
Separately, officials in Islamabad sealed seven petrol stations after long queues of vehicles were seen at some stations on Friday night, according to the Islamabad district administration. It said the city had over 2.5 million liters of petrol and more than 1.5 million liters of diesel available.
“[Fuel stations in] seven cases of refusal to provide petrol to citizens were sealed,” the district administration added.
Pakistan has sent vessels to ports in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to secure crude oil supplies, the petroleum minister said late Friday.
“With the help of the Foreign Office, two Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) vessels are currently on their way, one toward Yanbu port and the other toward Fujairah port, to bring crude oil from outside the Hormuz region in order to meet Pakistan’s energy needs,” Malik said on Friday night.
In addition, he said, Saudi Arabia’s Aramco had also assured that if Pakistan arranged, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) can be loaded at Yanbu and stationed near the Pakistani waters.
