Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman's visit to Pakistan ‘delayed’

ISLAMABAD: The much-anticipated visit of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) to Pakistan has been deferred, ARY News reported on Saturday citing sources.

MBS was slated to arrive in Islamabad this month for two days.

Official sources had indicated earlier without giving any schedule that the crown prince would be in Islamabad on May 19, for two days.

Sources said that officials from both countries are holding consultations to finalise date for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s Pakistan visit.

Earlier, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch made it clear on Friday that as soon the schedule was worked out between the two capitals, it would be made public.

She was confident that the Mohammad Bin Salman’s visit would take place soon and it would surely be very valuable and people of Pakistan are anxiously waiting for the leader from the brotherly country.

MBS’ much-anticipated visit will be the first visit by the Saudi Crown Prince to Pakistan in five years. The last time he was in Pakistan was in February 2019. The Saudi crown prince will land in Pakistan along with his delegation.

The visit will see the third in-person meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in a period spanning five weeks.

Recently, the high-level trade delegation from Saudi Arabia headed by deputy minister for Investment Ibrahim al-Mubarak visited Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in different sectors as well as to forge strong bonds with local entrepreneurs.

The 50-member Saudi delegation included representatives of about 35 companies, representing various economic sectors.