LAHORE: It’s not unusual for dignitaries to receive gifts during visits to foreign countries — perhaps a Cuban cigar or a bottle of French wine.
But a delegation of Pakistani senators sprang a surprise Monday during a visit by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, fondly called as MBS, to the country, presenting him with a gold-plated gun, according to CNN.
The Pak senators presented MBS, a Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun developed by German engineers.
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Presenting MBS with a weapon will likely raise eyebrows at a time when the crown prince has been embroiled in controversy over the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered at the country’s consulate in Istanbul in October of last year.
MBS traveled to Pakistan at the start of an Asian tour widely seen as an attempt to bolster ties and improve the kingdom’s image after a troubled year.
Islamabad went to great lengths to welcome bin Salman, honoring his arrival with a 21-gun salute and a fly-past by the country’s air force. A massive security operation was also launched, with the capital’s air space shut down and schools and all government institutions closed Monday.
MBS signed agreements worth $20 billion during his two-day visit to the country, the first since he became crown prince in 2017.
