Although bilateral relations and regional security are on the agenda of Imran Khan’s visit, a more urgent priority will be a possible economic bailout package from the KSA The prime minister will call on King Salman and hold a bilateral meeting with the crown prince, said the Pakistan Foreign Office ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, beginning the initial leg of his first foreign tour since taking office in August. The premier was welcomed at Madinah Airport by the Governor of Madinah, Faisal bin Salman, Pakistani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hasham bin Saddique, and other members of the Pakistani consulate. Khan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Adviser for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, is also scheduled to perform Umrah during his two-day stay in Saudi Arabia. PTI ✔ @PTIofficial وزیراعظم عمران خان کا مدینہ منورہ کی پاک سرزمین میں تاریخی استقبال وزیر اعظم عمران خان اور انکے وفد کی مدینہ منورہ میں روضہ رسول کی زیارت، وفد کے لیے روضہ رسول صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے دروازے خصوصی طور پر کھولے گئے#PMIK 7:12 PM - Sep 18, 2018 3,799 1,011 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy “The prime minister will call on His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz and hold a bilateral meeting with the crown prince (His Royal Highness Mohammad Bin Salman). The king will also host a state banquet for the prime minister at the Royal Court. Accompanying ministers will also meet their counterparts to discuss bilateral cooperation,” reads a statement issued by the Foreign Office. The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, will also call on the PM during his visit. Although bilateral relations and the regional security situation are on the agenda of Khan’s visit, a more pertinent, urgent priority will be a possible economic bailout package sought from Saudi Arabia by the new Pakistani Government. ------ READ MORE: Pakistan PM Khan expected to boost aid and trade from visit to Kingdom PM Khan bats his way back into the hearts of diaspora Experts weigh in on what to expect from Pakistani PM Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabia ------ In 2014, six months after Pakistan obtained its last IMF bailout, Saudi Arabia loaned Pakistan $1.5 billion, which the government used to strengthen its currency. Pakistan’s current account deficit increased to 43 percent ($18 billion) in the fiscal year that ended June 30. Analysts, however, told Reuters that a fresh bailout package from the IMF, which would be Pakistan’s 13th since the late 1980s, is inevitable. PTI ✔ @PTIofficial PM Imran Khan reaches Saudi Arabia on his first official foreign visit: he is accompanied by few cabinet members, including foreign minister @SMQureshiPTI and finance minister @Asad_Umar. #PMIK @ImranKhanPTI 5:00 PM - Sep 18, 2018 2,829 676 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Government has been debating several options to plug the hole in Pakistan’s rapidly draining foreign exchange reserves, it is also avidly trying to seek financial assistance from allied countries (including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE) as opposed to going to the IMF. Before the visit, Finance Minister Asad Umar said that IMF assistance would remain a “fallback option.