Pakistan’s prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan will visit Iran and Saudi Arabia after taking oath as the prime minister of Pakistan expected later this month.
Khan has been invited to visit Iran and Saudi Arabia by the respective heads of government and state to which he has agreed, Times of Islamabad reported on Monday.
Last week, in a telephone conversation, President Hassan Rouhani invited Khan to attend the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit, which is scheduled to be held in Tehran in October.
Khan has announced that his country is keen to enhance relations with Tehran in all spheres, particularly in key economic areas.
"I assure you that ties between the two countries will be expanded and deepened as Pakistan attaches great significance to the strengthening of ties with Iran," he said, adding that he will take part in the Asian summit in Tehran.
Imran Khan was also invited to Saudi King Salman in a phone conversation between the two earlier this month, according to the Islamabad newspaper.
Mediating Role
The cricketer-turned-politician has announced readiness to play a constructive role to mend fences between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 after a group of protesters attacked the Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashhad in protest against the oil-kingdom executing a prominent Shia cleric.
The two sides also support opposing sides in the fighting in Syria and Yemen.
Independence Day
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s 72nd Independence Day was celebrated in Tehran with traditional fervor. An impressive ceremony was held on Tuesday morning at the residence of the ambassador in which a large number of members of Pakistani community from all walks of life participated, Mehr News Agency reported.
Ambassador Riffat Masood, in her address, extended felicitations to members of her community living in Iran.
The ambassador said Pakistan was moving on the path of democracy. She pointed to the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected parliamentarians earlier this week, describing it as a victory for the people of Pakistan.
Billboards in Tehran
Separately, Billboards and banners felicitating Pakistan on its 72nd independence day have been put up across Tehran and northeastern city of Mashhad, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported on Tuesday.
Masood pointed to several posters placed on billboards in Tehran and Mashhad saying the gesture shows the depth of the friendship between the two nations.
The text in Persian on the billboards, photos of which were widely covered by the Pakistani media, congratulates Pakistan on its independence anniversary and depict historical landmarks. The boards were seen on highways and bridges.
A senior correspondent of Pakistan's English daily The International News on Tuesday shared four pictures on his Twitter account, saying the photographs were received from the Pakistani Embassy in Tehran.
Quoting the embassy, the journalist said it is the first the Islamic Republic is celebrating a foreign country's national day on "this scale".
