Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in hot waters following murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Baadban Report

Baadban Report: As Saudi Arabia acknowledged Jamal Khashogi’s cold blooded murder carried out in its consulate in Istanbul, inauguration of much advertised business conference to be held in Saudi Arabia, is in jeopardy.
International media house which had agreed to sponsor this high-profile business conference known as ‘Davos in Desert’ in Saudi Arabia have now pulled out following the murder Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.


Japanese media company Nikkei is the latest to withdraw, telling CNN early Saturday that it’s no longer a media partner for the event.
It joins a slew of other media organizations who have cut ties with the Saudi government’s Future Investment Initiative, which is also known as “Davos in the desert.”
Bloomberg had already announced it was pulling out as a media partner, but added that it still planned to cover news from the conference “as we do with every major event in the region.”

The US media group last year signed a deal with a Saudi publisher to run an Arabic-language financial news network. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of that deal.
World leading media house including CNN, CNBC and the Financial Times have made it clear to Saudi authorities that they would not sponsor the conference. The New York Times pulled out earlier in the week.
Much to the embracement of Saudi authorities, US and UK have joined other nations boycotting the conference.
UK trade secretary, Liam Fox, and US Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, have recently joined executives, writers and high ranking officials in boycotting economic forum in Riyadh.
However Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured Saudi King about his participance in the conference.
While world leaders have pulled out of business conference, Imran Khan’s commitment to attend the conference have raised several eyebrows in Pakistan.
Analysts believe, Imran and wouldn’t be able to secure investment worth a penny from the conference.
They warned , Imran Khan may have a chance to make its friendly neighbor Iran angry by attending the conference.


Hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and scheduled to begin on October 23, the event is designed to showcase the prince’s Vision 2030 plan to break the country’s dependence on oil.
But news organizations began severing ties as concerns mounted over the fate of Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist who contributed to the Washington Post and openly criticized the Saudi regime.
Khashoggi has been missing for more than a week after going to the Saudi consulate general in Istanbul to obtain wedding papers. Turkish authorities have audio and visual evidence that shows Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate.
Today on Saturday, Saudi Arabia admitted, the legendary journalist was killed inside Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Many believe, crown prince Mohammad bin Salman’s controversial policies in Saudi Arabiya and the region would cost house of Saud heavily.

 

Report By Sohail Rana
Chief Editor Daily Post International
Baadban TV News