ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced Friday that PrimeMinister Imran Khan will attend a Saudi Arabian investment conference,despite a string of cancellations from leading policy-makers and corporatechiefs over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The decision comes a day after US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin andsenior ministers from Europe announced plans to skip the conference.
The move by the White House intensified the kingdom’s mounting isolationamid an uproar over the mysterious disappearance of Khashoggi after heentered a Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
Khan’s visit comes as Pakistan continues to court “friendly” nations insearch of billions of dollars to shore up its deteriorating finances as itfaces a balance of payment crisis and upcoming talks with the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF) over a potential bailout.
Khan’s participation in the conference “signifies our solidarity with thekingdom in its efforts to become an emerging hub of international businessand investment,” the foreign ministry said in the statement.
“The conference provides an opportunity to interact with important businessleaders who are interested in investing in Pakistan.”
The conference is being touted as a high-powered showcase for the economicreforms of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — who has been widely accusedof having links to Khashoggi’s disappearance.
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Pakistan briefly weighed in on the incident earlier this month, calling onTurkey and Saudi Arabia “to jointly address the matter”.
Khan made his maiden foreign visit as premier to Saudi Arabia in Septemberas Islamabad explored alternative avenues to financing before approachingthe IMF.
Since taking power in August Khan has sought loans from allies such asChina and Saudi Arabia, promised to recover funds stolen by corruptofficials, and embarked on a series of high-profile populist austeritymeasures.
But help has been in short supply and economists’ warnings have grownincreasingly urgent.
The visit also comes as Pakistan’s central bank warned this week thatinflation would likely double in the coming year — hitting 7.5 percent –while the country’s growth target rate of 6.2 percent would likely bemissed. – APP/AFP
