Pakistani Imran Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Saudi Arabia to attend an investment conference boycotted by other leaders over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Khan told an interviewer before leaving he was concerned at Khashoggi's death but could not skip the conference because "we're desperate" for possible Saudi loans to shore up Pakistan's economy.
It is Khan's second visit to Saudi Arabia in just over a month, but he has not succeeded in securing significant financial assistance to stave off a looming balance of payment crisis.
Khan told the Middle East Eye in an interview published on Monday that he could not pass up the invitation to meet Saudi leaders again.
"The reason I feel I have to avail myself of this opportunity is because in a country of 210 million people right now we have the worst debt crisis in our history," he was quoted as saying.
"Unless we get loans from friendly countries or the IMF (International Monetary Fund), we actually won't have in another two or three months enough foreign exchange to service our debts or to pay for our imports. So we're desperate at the moment."
Finance Minister Asad Umar and Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood are accompanying Khan, a statement from Khan's office said on Monday, adding it "will give a chance to connect with those people who are interested in investing in Pakistan".
Islamabad has already asked the IMF to open negotiations for the country's second potential bailout in five years.
Siemens Chief Executive Joe Kaeser said on Monday that he would not attend the Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia, following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi."Siemens is a reliable and committed partner of The Kingdom and its VISION 2030. But for now, truth needs to be found out and justice applied," Kaeser said on Twitter.SIEMENS is a reliable and committed partner of The Kingdom and its VISION 2030. But for now, truth needs to be found out and justice applied. Why I am not going to attend #FII2018, read my thoughts here https://t.co/SLnSMu6dvq— Joe Kaeser (@JoeKaeser) 22 Ekim 2018 In a statement on his motivation not to travel to the conference, which posted on his LinkedIn account, Kaeser said that he had received many e-mails urging him not to go and that only two people recommended the opposite.US senator Corker says he believes Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi deathForeigners sold net $1.1 bln of Saudi stocks in week to Oct 18
Siemens CEO Kaeser says he will not attend Saudi investment conference
Khan, who took office in July, still has been seeking alternatives to the tough conditions the IMF is likely to impose for loans, limiting his vision of an Islamic welfare state.
The central bank's foreign reserves dropped this month to $8.1 billion, a four-year low and barely enough to cover sovereign debt payments due through the end of the year. The current account deficit has swelled to about $18 billion.
Khan has blamed the previous government's policies for the ballooning current account deficit.
He told the Middle East Eye that he was concerned over the "shocking" death of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
"The Saudi government will have to come up with an answer… We wait for whatever the Saudi explanation is," he was quoted as saying. "We hope there is an explanation that satisfies people and those responsible are punished."
Surveillance footage of the Saudi national who wore Jamal Khashoggi's clothes to make it seem like the journalist left the Istanbul consuate has emerged. The man seen in the footage was a member of the 15 Saudis who killed Jamal Khashoggi when he entered the consulate in Istanbul."The same man was seen in Khashoggi's clothing at the city's world-famous Blue Mosque just hours after the journalist was last seen alive entering the consulate on October 2," CNN reported, citing a senior Turkish official."The man in the video, identified by the official as Mustafa al-Madani, was allegedly part of what investigators have said was a hit squad, sent to kill the journalist at the Saudi consulate during a scheduled appointment to get papers for his upcoming wedding." Khashoggi vanished after entering the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.After two weeks denying any involvement in Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said the journalist, a critic of the crown prince, died during a fight in the building. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold.Reflecting international scepticism over its account, a senior Saudi government official laid out a new version that contradicts previous explanations.The latest account includes details on how 15 Saudis sent to confront Khashoggi had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team dressed in Khashoggi's clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate.Some lie and some die: Saudi media and Khashoggi affairPrince Salman backed into tight corner as links to Khashoggi murder become clearerTurkish employees of Saudi consulate give statements in Khashoggi probeGermany urges other EU states to also stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia
Footage of Saudi operative dressed in Khashoggi's clothes after journalist's death emerges
Indonesian President Monday asked Saudi Arabia to conduct a transparent investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Joko Widodo made his demand in a statement -- which Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivered after Widodo received Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir at Bogor Palace in West Java province."Indonesia hopes that the ongoing investigation can be carried out transparently and thoroughly," Marsudi said.Khashoggi, a journalist and Saudi columnist for The Washington Post, went missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2.After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.Widodo addressed the Khashoggi case in the meeting with al-Jubeir, accompanied by some officials, including Saudi ambassador to Indonesia Usama bin Muhammed al-Shuaibi.Video: Indonesian President meets Saudi Foreign Minister in BogorHowever, the Saudi minister did not give any statement on the incident. He also rejected to hold a press conference for the journalists waiting for him."Before leaving for Indonesia, the Saudi Foreign Minister had given an explanation which was also conveyed to the President," Marsudi told journalists after accompanying Widodo to welcome al-Jubeir.On Sunday, al-Jubeir said in a statement that the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was "not aware" of Khashoggi death in the Saudi Consulate.“The Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman] has denied this, he is not aware of this,” al-Jubeir told Fox News, saying it a rogue operation.He also said none of those involved in the killing of Khashoggi had close ties to the crown prince.
Indonesia urges Saudis on transparent Khashoggi probe