ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has approved a $40 million grant to build the King Salman Hospital in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The project is part of a broader series of collaborative efforts between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia aimed at bolstering infrastructure and health services in the country. PM Shehbaz highlighted that the King Salman Hospital is among several projects supported by the SFD, which has funded over 40 projects in Pakistan since its inception in 1975. These initiatives, totaling approximately $1.4 billion, have focused on sectors such as energy, water, transportation, and infrastructure. “Other SFD projects, like the King Salman Hospital with a $40 million investment, will be fully funded and built in Hazara,” Sharif said during a federal cabinet meeting, expressing gratitude to the Saudi authorities for their ongoing support.

In addition to the hospital project, Sharif announced that Pakistan had also finalised a loan agreement with SFD for the Gravity Flow Water Supply Scheme in the Mansehra district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This project, which will provide $41 million, aims to improve access to clean drinking water for at least 150,000 people in the region. As Saudi Arabia pushes forward with its Vision 2030 economic modernisation plan, there is an increasing demand for skilled labor. These developments mark a significant step in the continued partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, reflecting their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties and supporting Pakistan’s economic stability.