Islamabad: The traffic enforcement agencies in Pakistan’s twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday sought the cooperation of the commuting public during the visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman to the country, scheduled for February 17 and 18.

Senior Superintendent of Police Farrukh Rashid, of Islamabad Traffic Police, said the high-powered delegation’s visit was of significance to the country and “people are requested to exhibit patience to make it a complete success.”

Rawalpindi City Traffic Police also urged the public to cooperate with traffic wardens to ensure controlled flow of traffic within the city.

Traffic authorities in the two cities have also finalised a comprehensive traffic diversion plan to avoid public inconvenience in anticipation of high-level visit to the country.

Farrukh said law enforcement agencies were assigned to make arrangements for the city’s security plan during stay of the dignitaries and the ITP was mandated to regulate the city’s traffic during these couple of days.

The SSP said the inter-provincial traffic coming from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was completely banned to enter Islamabad in the presence of the Saudi delegation in the federal capital.

Farrukh advised citizens intending to commute within the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi during these days to use 9th avenue, connecting their intercity mobility.

He recommended residents moving to and from New Islamabad Airport to use Kashmir Highway and 9th Avenue, adding the connecting minor roads to Kashmir Highway would remain opened.

He said commuters destined for Murree must follow traffic advisories, released every hour on ITP FM radio channel for the public to plan their hassle free tours.

The city traffic officer said a special control room had been established in Traffic Headquarters and would be utilising all resources to ensure commutation on the city’s roads adding that the traffic load could only be controlled through public cooperation.

Strict disciplinary action would be taken against the delinquent officials, he said and informed the citizens to call City Traffic Police Helpline 1915 and 051-9272839 to know about the traffic situation on roads.

The old Airport Road would be closed for all types of traffic when the prince would arrive and 100 traffic wardens would also be deployed to direct traffic onto alternate routes.

During Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s stay, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will sign a number of agreements and MoUs in investment, finance, power, renewable energy, internal security, media, culture and sports. The two countries will also discuss ways and means to develop a robust follow-up mechanism to ensure effective implementation and quick progress on tangible areas of cooperation.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has termed the Crown Prince’s visit historic with regard to the huge investment he is bringing with him.

The volume of trade and investment projects to be signed during the Crown Prince’s visit is around US$20 billion (Dh73.4 billion), the largest in the history of Pakistan by Saudi government, said he.

The major initiative of the financial package is setting up of a multibillion dollars oil refinery in Gwadar that would change the entire outlook of Pakistan’s economy and provide it the much-needed support in oil and gas sector.

— With inputs from correspondent