Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 29, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters
By Reuters
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will discuss the possibility of supporting the kingdom’s $3 billion deposit in Pakistan’s central bank by extending its term “or through other options,” a joint statement carried by Saudi state news agency SPA said on Sunday.
Last year, Saudi Arabia deposited $3 billion in Pakistan’s central bank to help support its foreign reserves. With a yawning current account deficit and foreign reserves falling to as low as $10.8 billion, the South Asian nation is in dire need of external finances.
Pakistan also welcomed a Saudi decision to extend an agreement to finance exports of crude oil products and oil derivatives, SPA reported.
The statement came after a visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.