Muscat: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is due to arrive in Muscat on Monday on a two-day official visit to seek greater investment and increase trade and economic ties between the two countries.
During his visit, Gilani is expected to hold talks with Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed on the situation in the region, the Middle East with particular focus on Iraq, and the Pakistan-India ties, according to reports from Pakistan.
Prime Minister Gilani, who will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Khan Raisani, would congratulate Sultan Qaboos on Oman's 40th National Day.
Pakistan and Oman have deep cultural, historic, religious and ethnic ties. Around 175,000 Pakistani expatriates work in diverse fields in Oman, including skilled and non-skilled workers.
The remittances from Oman to Pakistan have increased in the five years - from $130 million (Dh478 million) in 2005 to 2006 to $287 million in 2009 to 2010.
During his 2001 visit to Pakistan, Sultan Qaboos had announced $100 million grant, the larger chunk of which $64 million was allocated for development of Balochistan.
An amount of $17.5 million dollars was earmarked for the Gwadar International Airport and $27.5 for Gwadar.
Gilani, during his two-day visit is expected to urge Oman to divert the unspent amount of $19.1 million from the grant for the flood relief funds for the people of Pakistan, says an agency report from Pakistan.
