Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to begin three-day visit to Saudi Arabia
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Saudi Arabia today, where he will participate in the “Green Middle East Initiative” (GMI). Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman invited Khan, signaling an improvement in bilateral relations between Riyadh and Islamabad.
Following Khan’s visit to the Kingdom in May, this latest trip comes as the two nations work on repairing their ties. Relations were strained in 2019, after Pakistan tried to pressure Saudi Arabia to counter India on Kashmir. In response, Saudi Arabia recalled a $3.4 billion loan and punished Pakistanis working abroad. Pakistan then tried to improve its standing with the Kingdom by backing Saudi regional efforts to curtail Iran.
Despite the improving trajectory of Saudi-Pakistani relations, the bilateral reset will only be limited to discussing environmental issues. Rebuilding this relationship is key for Pakistan, as Saudi Arabia is their largest source of petroleum and provides millions in financial assistance each year.
Expect today’s talks to produce shared commitments to fighting climate change. The GMI is looking to collectively plant 50 billion trees and reduce carbon emission by 60% across the Middle East through the use of clean hydrocarbon technologies. Pakistan is also likely to offer help to Saudi Arabia in its massive tree plantation project.
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