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WASHINGTON: Adviser on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin has left Washington and is expected to join Prime Minister Imran Khan on a visit to Saudi Arabia this weekend, sources revealed.
According to reports, Shaukat Tarin left Washington on Thursday without concluding the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Finance Secretary Yousaf Khan will stay behind to further pursue talks for the resumption of the next tranche of the loan agreement.
Tarin arrived in Washington in early October and went to New York on October 15 after a ten-day stay as the economic team failed to strike an agreement with the global financial institution. He was scheduled to fly to London but returned to Washington on Tuesday as the talks moved forward.
The Pakistanis delegation expected a positive outcome and scheduled a news briefing on Thursday morning which was later cancelled. Tarin quietly left Washington to catch an international flight from New York. Sources revealed he is likely to join Prime Minister Imran Khan who is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia this weekend.
During his two visits to Washington, Tarin met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and other officials twice and both sides expressed hope that the consultations would soon lead to a positive conclusion.
Tarin, who was the finance minister when he first came to Washington earlier this month, is now the finance adviser as he was unable to become a member of parliament to retain the minister’s position.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a three-day trip starting October 23 to attend the Middle East Green Initiative Conference in Riyadh.
The prime minister will perform Umrah and visit Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) during this trip. He will also call on the Saudi leadership and discuss regional affairs and bilateral relations.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has accepted Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s invitation and will attend the Middle East Green Initiative Summit in Riyadh on October 25.
The Middle East Green Initiative Summit to be held on October 25 will convene international and regional leaders to motivate consensus to deliver against shared environmental commitments.
Pakistan was among the first countries to have welcomed the initiative. The prime minister, in a letter to the Saudi crown prince, had offered Pakistan’s help in the massive tree plantation project.
