JEDDAH, 11 June 2008 — Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Agriculture Fahd Balghunaim and Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Zainal Alireza met a Pakistani delegation headed by Sen. Asif Ali Zardari at the Conference Palace here, the Pakistani Consulate said in a statement yesterday. Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, was assisted at the talks by Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, minister for commerce, defense and textile, National Reconstruction Bureau Chairman Asim and Pakistan’s Ambassador Shahid Karimullah.
The meeting discussed the possibility of bilateral agreements in fields such as agriculture, trade, food and fruit processing, energy and other agro-based industries, especially corporate farming. The Saudi delegation showed particular interest in the uninterrupted supply of food at affordable prices. The Saudi side also expressed interest in encouraging the private sector to meet the challenges and explore the possibilities of partnership and joint ventures between the two sides. It was decided that the paid up capital of Saudi-Pak Investment Bank would be raised to meet the requirement of financing different investment ventures.
Alireza and Balghunaim will visit Pakistan within the next fortnight to assess the possibilities of greater cooperation in all fields.
