Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Saudi Arabia for helping Pakistan avoid defaulting on international loans and said the ties between the two brotherly countries have strengthened further.
Addressing Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia city Jeddah, he said Pakistan would have defaulted had Saudi Arabia and the UAE not helped build its foreign reserves. “Had we defaulted, there would have been severe consequences,” he added.
The prime minister said that Pakistanis have an immense emotional attachment with the kingdom, as it always stood by them in difficult times.
He said Saudi Arabia not only helped Pakistan with its foreign reserves but also provided it oil on deferred payments.
Prime Minister Imran said he wanted to share ‘good news’ with the expatriates that a “new Pakistan will emerge very soon, defeating the status quo mafias.”
He said that he was fighting a battle to free the country of mafias who wanted to continue with the corrupt practices. The fight for independence always take time but by the grace of Allah “a new Pakistan will be before you.”
The prime minister said the people of Pakistan are with him. He is struggling for the rule of law. A society progresses when the rule of law prevails, he added.
About the Digital Roshan Account, Prime Minister Imran said it was a great programme and worked to take advantage of the potential of overseas Pakistanis and increase foreign exchange.
He said the overseas Pakistanis send remittances to their families but the government has not been able to convince them to invest in Pakistan and there are several reasons behind it.
He directed the Pakistan ambassador to Saudi Arabia to increase his interaction with them.
Speaking on the coronavirus pandemic, he said despite Covid-19 his government saved livelihood and economy.
Comparing Pakistan with its neighbouring countries, he said the country’s economic indicators are positive and exports are increasing.
He said coronavirus had destroyed the most powerful economies in the world and the exports of neighbouring countries had dropped drastically.
But, Pakistan’s exports are increasing. The construction industry is growing. The industry is creating jobs, the premier said.
It is a “decisive moment” for Pakistan. “We have strengthened our relationship with Saudi Arabia and it is very important to us,” he concluded.
OIC MEETING: Earlier,Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, in Makkah.
He stressed on the importance of a “concerted response” by Muslim countries to rising Islamophobia in the West.
