ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari will visit Saudi Arabia on November 4-5 to seek oil facility on deferred payment and solicit the Kingdom's support for the 'Friends of Pakistan Initiative'. "President Zardari will hold talks with King Abdullah during the two-day visit to Saudi Arabia during which he will solicit Saudi support for the 'Friends of Pakistan Initiative' and the oil-facility requested by Pakistan on deferred payment," said the Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq while addressing his weekly press briefing here on Friday. The recently formed 'Friends of Pakistan group' includes Pakistan's major donors like US, UK, China, France, UAE and Germany etc and it would meet in Abu Dhabi on November 17 to discuss matters related to financial assistance for South Asian nuclear state. Sadiq said the Saudi King and President Zardari would also exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues as well increase in the volume of bilateral trade and export of manpower to Saudi Arabia. President Zardari's visit to Saudi Arabia is taking place at a time when Pakistan, currently facing serious economic crisis, is about to reach a deal with International Monetary Fund (IMF). What Pakistan is seeking from the IMF and friendly states like Saudi Arabia is billions of dollars in loans and assistance to deal with the balance of payments crisis that has driven the country to the verge of default and financial collapse. Sadiq said that Pakistan's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia stood at around $ 5.7 billion and over a million-strong Pakistani community was living in the kingdom. He said, "Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy a special relationship. He said the two countries had shared perceptions and convergence of views on major regional and international issues. Frequent exchange of high level visits was a hallmark of those fraternal relations, he added. In response to a question, he said the US drone attacks were causing rage among people living in the tribal areas and also undermining Pakistan's efforts to seek broader support for the efforts against terrorism. He said, "We condemn these attacks. These are most unfortunate and constitute a gross violation of our sovereignty and territory," he said. "We have raised the issue of attacks with the US authorities at every level and underscored that these attacks should be stopped immediately," Sadiq added. Answering another question, he said soon a breakthrough was expected in talks with New Delhi on the illegal use of Chenab water by India for its Baglihar Dam. Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, Pakistan's Indus Water Commissioner inspected Baglihar Dam on October 18 and held detailed talks with the Indian authorities, he said. He further said Pakistan wanted implementation of water accords restraining India from use of Chenab water to fill the dam. He said the agreements should be implemented in letter and spirit as use of Chenab water by India was affecting Pakistan's crops and causing damage to the country's economy. To a question, Sadiq said Pakistan had not received any legal notice from former Taliban Ambassador in Islamabad, Mullah Zaeef in which he claimed that he had been illegally handed over to the US authorities despite the diplomatic immunity. When asked about reports that Americans are imparting training to Pakistani troops at Mardan and some other areas, he said Pakistan had a multi-layered cooperation with the United States and other members of the coalition in war on terror. "Training is one part of the four areas of cooperation. I am, however, not aware of any specific training programme. As far as training from other countries is concerned, Pakistan is not averse to it," he said. To a question on reports that some Pakistani women are confined at Bagram base and that what is the government doing for their release, he said the issue was raised before also and we had raised it with the Afghans and the US authorities which control the Bagram facility but we were told that there were no women prisoner at Bagram. "Previously it was reported that prisoner number 650 at Bagram was Dr Afia Siddiqui which now seems to be an incorrect report. We, however, will continue to pursue the matter because allegations have been surfacing from different quarters and we do not take them lightly," he said. When his attention was drawn to reports that the US is ready for negotiations and reconciliation with Taliban and asked about Pakistan's position on the issue, Sadiq said Pakistan had all along supported the process of negotiations with those who were ready to lay down arms. "The Mini-Jirga meeting also supported this position. About US position on negotiations you have to ask the spokesperson of the US government," he said. He said that 17 of the Pakistani prisoners detained in Sri lankan jails will be repatriated to the country next week. "On humanitarian grounds, the two governments decided that these prisoners will serve their sentences in Pakistan," he added. He said the United Nations was still working on the constitution of a commission to investigate the assassination of late Benazir Bhutto. "As an international organization, the United Nations will go through a number of procedures and consult member countries before creation of the commission," he said. He said neither the government nor the UN could give any final dates on the setting up of commission or names of its members as of now. To a query, he said Pakistani government had no credible information on the whereabouts of Maryam and Salman, the two children of Dr Afia Siddiqui, who is currently facing trial for attacking American soldiers in a US court of law. Online adds: Saudi Arabia has agreed to supply oil on credit to Pakistan. The acknowledgement follows the acceptance of special request by Pakistan and keeping in view the forthcoming visit of President Asif Ali Zardari to Saudi Arabia. Reliable sources have informed that President Asif Ali Zardari is due to visit the Saudi Kingdom on Nov 4th, where besides meeting with top leadership, he would also request supply for oil on credit. The sources have also informed that special adviser to PM on Finance, Shaukat Tarin would also visit Saudi Arabia in this connection, while the Saudi officials are also expected to make a formal official announcement in this regard soon. Saudi Arabia has agreed to supply 1,10,000 barrels of oil daily, according to which Pakistan would be facilitated to pay U$65 per barrel, summing upto U$2 billion per year. This facility would lessen Pakistan's reliance on unreliable aid of Global Financial Funds.