PM Imran Khan says Pak-Saudi ties on solid footing

• PM Imran Khan addresses Pakistani expats in Jeddah.
• Says a new Pakistan will emerge very soon, defeating the status quo mafias.
• Says it is a “very decisive moment” for Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday thanked Saudi Arabia for helping Pakistan in its difficult times and said the ties between the two countries have strengthened further.

The prime minister said this while addressing expatriates at the Digital Roshan Account function in Jeddah during his three-day official visit to the kingdom.

He said that Pakistanis have an immense emotional attachment with the kingdom, as it always stood by them in difficult times.

PM Khan said Pakistan would have defaulted had Saudi Arabia and the UAE not helped shore up its foreign reserves. “If we had defaulted, there would have been severe consequences,” he added.

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He said the kingdom not only helped Pakistan with its foreign reserves but also gave it oil on deferred payments.

‘Naya Pakistan will emerge very soon’

PM Khan shared ‘good news’ with the expatriates that a new Pakistan will emerge very soon, defeating the status quo mafias.

He said they might be receiving things of disappointment coming from Pakistan through the newspapers but ‘I want to tell about the battle, the direction in which the struggle is heading, is towards Pakistan of the Quaid, who believed in the rule of law’.

The PM explained that he was fighting a battle to free the country of such mafias, who wanted to continue with the old Pakistan, whereas he was fighting for Pakistan, which would have been, 70 years ago, but the destiny was sidetracked and the country kept going away from its destiny.

He maintained that the battle of independence always took some time. “But God willing, I am sharing this good news with you that very soon, a new Pakistan will be before you, as none can stop this change,” he emphasized.

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“On the one side is the status quo, on the other side are the mafias who are trying to save the old system,” he said.

“On the other hand, the entire people of Pakistan are with me, who are leading the way to change and the rule of law. This is in fact a struggle for the rule of law. A society rises where the rule of law prevails, where there is no rule of law but of power, a society can’t develop,” he contended.

He said on the one side there was a system of humanity and justice, while on the other side there was a system of a jungle. “Where there is supremacy of power, the country cannot develop. On the one hand, there are the old states and the mafias who are taking advantage of the corrupt system and all are together. On the other hand, the people and our government are fighting for a change,” he said.

Roshan Digital Account

About the Digital Roshan Account, PM Khan said it was a great programme and worked to take advantage of the potential of overseas Pakistanis and increase foreign exchange.

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He said the aim of Roshan Digital Account portal was to enhance remittances by tapping the real potential of overseas Pakistanis. “Economic stability in the country has paved way for the diaspora to invest in Pakistan,” he noted.

‘Social media helped PTI come to power’

The PM said no one could stop this change because there was awareness within the country and the nation had understood the issues, which were not there before, the reason was social media, the youth had the information that was never there before.

“Our party came to power because of social media and the youth; this change is also due to the youth”.

Speaking on the coronavirus pandemic, the premier said despite COVID-19 ‘we saved livelihood and economy simultaneously’. Comparing Pakistan with its neighbouring countries, he said the country's economic indicators were positive and exports were increasing.

He said the overseas Pakistanis sent remittances to their families in Pakistan but the government had not been able to convince them to invest in Pakistan and there were several reasons behind it.

'Decisive moment'

PM Khan directed Pakistan's ambassador in Saudi Arabia to keep in touch with the expatriates and address their issues.

He also talked about how overseas Pakistanis were being treated by the Pak embassy in Saudi Arabia, about which he had received reports.

“We received reports and complaints that the Pakistani community was not being provided with service for the last 18 months,” he said.

He said coronavirus had destroyed the most powerful economies in the world and the exports of Pakistan’s neighbours had dropped drastically.

But, he added, Pakistan’s exports were going up and its construction industry was growing. “The industry is creating jobs,” he said, adding that it is a “very decisive moment” for Pakistan. “We have strengthened our relationship with Saudi Arabia and it is very important to us."