Makkah: Saudi authorities Saturday opened the door of the Holy Kaba for Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and his wife Bushra.
The visiting dignitaries along with their delegation entered the Holy Kaaba and offered Nafil prayers.
Imran Khan is in Saudi Arabia on a 3-day visit at the invitation of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
During his stay in Saudi Arabia, Imran Khan will address the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in Riyadh.
Imran Khan had earlier arrived in Madina, where he was received by Deputy Governor of Madinah Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal, who gave the delegation a warm reception, according to the PM's Office.
Imran Khan later proceeded to Makkah and performed Umrah, and also offered nafil prayers inside the Holy Kaabah.
Besides his wife Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan is accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
At the MGI Summit, the prime minister will share his perspective on the challenges faced by developing countries due to climate change, the PMO said, adding that he will also highlight Pakistan’s experience of launching "nature-based solutions to address the environmental challenges".
Inaugurated by Muhammad bin Salman a the annual Saudi Green Initiative Forum in the capital Riyadh Saturday, the MGI Summit is the "first of its kind" in the Middle East.
While opening the forum, MbS announced the introduction of the first package of initiatives representing investments worth more than 700 billion Saudi Riyals ($186 billion), the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The initiatives outlined a roadmap for protecting the environment and confronting climate change, and will contribute to the development of the green economy, create quality jobs and provide significant investment opportunities for the private sector, Xinhua news agency quoted the Crown Prince as saying on Saturday.
In the first phase of afforestation initiatives, more than 450 million trees will be planted with 8 million hectares of degraded lands rehabilitated, he revealed.
Mohammed bin Salman also highlighted the plans to transform Riyadh into one of the most sustainable cities in the world.
Energy-related initiatives were designed to reduce Saudi Arabia's carbon emissions by 278 million tonnes annually by 2030, more than doubling the kingdom's target, according to the crown prince.
The Kingdom launched the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) in March 2021 to protect the environment in the kingdom and the region.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz announced that the Kingdom's goal is to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2060.
He confirmed that the goal shouldn't have an adverse financial or economic impact on oil exporters, expecting his country to be a model in producing all energy sources, with efforts to make gas and renewable energy each account for 50 per cent in the kingdom's energy mix by 2030.
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