Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will launch Supreme Coordination Council (SCC) during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to follow on the mutually agreed objectives, Foreign Office said.
In a series of tweets on Friday, Spokesperson Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal said that the SCC, jointly led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Imran Khan, will help the two countries for effective coordination and follow-up to achieve mutually agreed objectives.
"Visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia underscores that Pakistan has the potential both human and natural and promise to turn itself into a strong and economically vibrant country and as PM IK said in Dubai, "Don't Miss the Boat"...," he stated.
Referring to the MoUs/agreements to be signed during the visit, the spokesperson said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will sign an agreement in the field of youth and sports, and another on technical cooperation in standardisation, improving trade and removing technical barriers to promote trade.
According to him, the MoUs that would be signed included on development of renewable energy projects, cooperation in the field of mineral resources, psychotropic substances, drug control, smuggling and combating organized crime.
"The visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to significantly enhance bilateral ties between the two countries in all spheres of cooperation," Dr Faisal said.
During the visit, he will call on President Dr Arif Alvi and also meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. A delegation of Pakistan's Senate will also call on the Crown Prince to discuss ways to enhance parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
After concluding his Pakistan's visit, the Crown Prince will also visit China, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.
The Saudi Crown Prince is also scheduled to visit India from February 19-20. The Saudi Arabia and India are expected to sign agreements across different sectors including energy, infrastructure, housing, tourism and information technology.
In April last year, Saudi Aramco signed an initial deal with a consortium of Indian refiners to jointly develop a $44 billion refinery and petrochemical project on India's west port town of Ratnagiri.
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has delayed his visit to Pakistan by one day due to unknown reasons, as he will now arrive here on Sunday instead of Saturday.
"Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will visit Pakistan on 17-18 February 2019. The visit programme remains unchanged," Foreign Office said in a brief statement on Friday night after intense speculations about the change in the schedule of the visit.
Earlier, on February 13, the Foreign Office issued a press release, which stated that the Crown Prince will visit Pakistan on February 16-17, 2019. According to the Foreign Office, the Crown Prince will be accompanied by a high-powered delegation including members of the Saudi Royal family, key ministers and leading businessmen. This will be his first state-level visit to Pakistan since his elevation to the position of the Crown Prince in April 2017.
During his stay in Islamabad, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman will meet President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. It further stated that the Saudi ministers accompanying the Crown Prince will meet their counterparts to discuss bilateral cooperation in their respective fields.
On the sidelines of the visit, the businessmen of the two countries will also meet to discuss opportunities of collaboration in the private sector. During his stay, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be signing a number of agreements and MoUs related to diverse sectors, including investment, finance, power, renewable energy, internal security, media, culture and sports.
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