
Various sectors: President invites Saudi investors
The president expressed these views in a meeting with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki who called on President Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, economy, and culture.
The meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Welcoming the ambassador, President Zardari said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed deep-rooted and historic relations based on shared faith and mutual trust. He emphasised the need to further expand these ties for the mutual benefit of the two brotherly nations.
The president highlighted Pakistan's investor-friendly policies and invited Saudi investors to explore investment opportunities in various sectors of the Pakistani economy. He noted that both countries share common views on regional and international issues and support each other at multilateral fora.
President Zardari expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support to Pakistan in times of need.
He also asked the ambassador to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
21 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Asif drops Portugal bombshell
Defence Minister and senior PML-N leader Khawaja Asif has claimed that over half of the country's bureaucracy has purchased property in Portugal and is preparing to acquire citizenship. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) the other day, Asif alleged that several prominent bureaucrats are among those planning their exit. He did not name individuals but suggested the trend was widespread within the civil service. This is not the first time reports have emerged about Pakistani bureaucrats and government officials investing in foreign real estate. In May 2024, international journalistic body Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published an investigative report titled Dubai Unlocked. The investigation revealed that leaked data from 2022 showed 17,000 Pakistani nationals owned some 23,000 residential properties in Dubai. These included former military officers, bankers, politicians, and senior civil servants. Further concerns about foreign affiliations of civil servants surfaced earlier this year. In January, the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior was informed that more than 22,000 bureaucrats hold dual nationality. Last month, the government amended the Civil Servants Act, introducing Section 15-A, which now requires all Grade 17 to Grade 22 officers to declare their assets - both domestic and foreign - as well as those of their immediate family. These details are to be made public through the FBR in a move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the public sector. Why Portugal? The recent focus on Portugal is closely linked to its Golden Visa programme, officially known as the Golden Residence Permit. This initiative allows non-EU nationals to secure permanent residency in the country in exchange for specific types of investments. Previously, investing in the real estate sector was a popular route to acquire permanent residence, but this option was discontinued in 2023. Current qualifying investments include job creation, research, business development, support for arts and culture, or venture capital funds. Residency obtained through the Golden Visa programme also allows the main applicant to bring their spouse, children, and parents and in-laws to Portugal. After five years, applicants become eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship. According to Bloomberg, Portugal issued nearly 5,000 Golden Visas in 2024, marking a 70 per cent increase from the 2,901 issued in 2023. The sharp rise is attributed to growing investor interest following Spain's decision to discontinue its own Golden Visa scheme in April this year.


Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Soldier opens fire at US military base, wounding five troops
WASHINGTON: A soldier opened fire at a US base in the southern state of Georgia on Wednesday, wounding five fellow troops before he was tackled and apprehended, a senior officer said. Fort Stewart, a large Army base that is home to thousands of soldiers and their relatives, went into lockdown as emergency personnel raced to respond to the 'active shooter' situation, with troops stepping in to help stop the violence. 'Soldiers in the area that witnessed the shooting immediately and without hesitation tackled the soldier, subdued him, that allowed law enforcement to then take him into custody,' Brigadier General John Lubas told a news conference. Lubas – the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, which is based at Fort Stewart – put the toll at five wounded, saying that 'all are in stable condition and all are expected to recover.' The general identified the alleged shooter as Sergeant Quornelius Radford, saying his motive was unclear. A military weapon was not used in the shooting, which is believed to have been carried out with 'a personal handgun,' Lubas said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident, while US Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal law enforcement were 'coordinating to provide support.' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was 'monitoring the situation.' Though relatively rare, shootings – including some apparent terror-related attacks – periodically target military facilities in the United States, a country that is plagued by an epidemic of gun violence. In 2019, a US sailor fatally shot two people and wounded a third at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii, while a Saudi military student shot dead three people at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida the same year. In July 2015, Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez attacked two military installations in Tennessee, killing four Marines and a sailor. The FBI concluded the violence was inspired by a 'foreign terrorist group.' Two years earlier, Aaron Alexis killed 12 people and wounded eight at the Washington Navy Yard in the US capital, before being shot dead by officers. And four years before that a US Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 at Fort Hood in Texas.


Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan starts deporting registered Afghan refugees
Listen to article Pakistan has started to deport documented Afghan refugees ahead of its deadline for them to leave, according to the United Nations, in a move that could see more than 1 million Afghans expelled from the country. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that it had received reports of arrests and expulsions of legally registered Afghans across the country before Pakistan's September 1 deadline for them to leave. The UNHCR said that sending the Afghans back in this way was a breach of Pakistan's international obligations. "UNHCR is calling on the government to stop the forcible return and adopt a humane approach to ensure voluntary, gradual, and dignified return of Afghans," it said in a statement. Read More: Afghan card holders to be deported from Sept 1 The voluntary return of the documented refugees shall commence forthwith, said a Pakistan's interior ministry order seen by Reuters. It said the formal deportation process will start after the deadline. But Qaisar Khan Afridi, a spokesman for the UNHCR, told Reuters on Wednesday that hundreds of legally registered Afghan refugees had already been detained and deported to Afghanistan from August 1 to August 4. The interior ministry did not respond a Reuters request for a comment. More than 1.3 million Afghans hold documentation known as Proof of Registration cards, while 750,000 more have another form of registration known as an Afghan Citizen Card. Many Afghans have been settled in Pakistan since the 1980s, to escape cycles of war in Afghanistan. "Such massive and hasty return could jeopardize the lives and freedom of Afghan refugees, while also risking instability not only in Afghanistan but across the region," UNHRC said. Pakistani authorities have said that Islamabad wants all Afghan nationals to leave except for those who have valid visas. The repatriation drive by Pakistan is part of a campaign called the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023. Also Read: NA passes resolutions against honour killings, digital harassment Pakistan has in the past blamed militant attacks and crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest migrant group in the country. Afghanistan has rejected the accusations, and has termed the repatriations as forced deportation. In addition to the repatriation from Pakistan, Afghanistan also faces a fresh wave of mass deportations from Iran. Aid groups worry that the influx risks further destabilizing the country.