Saudi prince gifts Pakistan's Imran Khan gold-plated Kalashnikov

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been gifted a gold plated Kalashnikov by Saudi prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
2 min read
16 January, 2019
The Kalashnikov was given during a Saudi visit to Islamabad [Pakistan Today]

A Saudi prince has gifted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan a gold plated assault rifle, local Pakistani media has reported.

Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who is also governor of Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province, gifted a gold-plated Kalashnikov and bullets.

The Russian made rifle was given to Khan on Monday when the prince visited Islamabad, according to Pakistan Today.

Prince Fahad also met with Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to emphasise the strength of relations between the two countries.

Alvi asserted that Pakistan greatly values its close “brotherly” relations with Saudi Arabia and wants an even closer relationship with the kingdom.

He also expressed satisfaction over the increasing level of trade and investment relations.

In October, Pakistan secured a $6 billion support package from Saudi Arabia to aid its ailing finances.

The package's announcement followed Khan's visit to Riyadh for the Future Investment Forum (FII) business conference, which had been boycotted by a number of high-profile business leaders and politicians over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

$3 billion was negotiated directly to help its balance of payments crisis, while a further $3 billion will be paid at a later date for oil imports.

"This arrangement will be in place for three years, which will be reviewed thereafter," Pakistan's Finance Ministry said in a statement. 

Prior to the FII conference, Khan had expressed his country's desperation to secure economic aid, saying that Pakistan is running low on foreign currency reserves.

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