Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a telephonic conversation on Monday in which Prince Salman inquired about PM’s health. The leaders alked about bilateral ties.
Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI received a telephone call today from the Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman. pic.twitter.com/lSWQBmxuMz
— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) March 29, 2021
The premier wrote a letter to Saudi royals, lauding their “Saudi Green Initiative and Green Middle East Initiative”.
The prime minister wrote,
“It gives me immense pleasure to extend my best greetings and hope that Your Royal Highness is in good health and safe from the pandemic. I would like to convey deep respects and warm wishes for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz.”
PM added,
“I am delighted to learn about Your Royal Highness’s plans for launching ‘Saudi Green Initiative’ as well as rallying the region for the larger ‘Green Middle East Initiative’ aimed at protecting the nature and planet.”
Am delighted to learn of "Green Saudi Arabia" & "Green Middle East " initiatives by my brother, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman! Have offered our support on these as there are many complementarities with our "Clean & Green Pakistan" & "10 Billion-Tree Tsunami. pic.twitter.com/ExHSS8DUVh
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 29, 2021
He said the two initiatives which, inter alia, included plantation of 10 billion trees in the kingdom and its further upscaling to 50 billion in the region as part of the Green Middle East Initiative, expansion of protected areas to more than 30 per cent, protection of marine and coastal environments and generation of 50pc of the kingdom’s energy from renewable by 2030, were highly commendable.
Mr Khan said the vision of Saudi leaders closely aligned with the government’s “Clean and Green Pakistan” initiative which was investing in nature-based solutions to address climate change impact in the country.
“After successfully planting one billion trees from 2014 to 2018, our ‘10 billion Tree Tsunami’ initiative is well under way across the whole country. We are also expanding our protected areas — over 15pc land and 10pc marine — by 2023. These initiatives have demonstrated that planting trees not only protects nature and restores ecosystem to fight climate change, but also expands eco-tourism and creates thousands of green jobs for the youth as well as local communities,” PM wrote.
