Man with the golden submachine gun: Pakistan gifts Saudi prince MBS gold-plated carbine
Eschewing the usual artwork and cigars, Pakistani senators gave visiting Saudi dignitary Mohammad bin Salman a gift from the heart: an embossed golden Heckler & Koch MP5.
What do you get for a guy who has everything, and whose country has recently been implicated in the murder of a prominent dissident journalist?
Pakistani senators had a perfect answer when the Saudi prince, widely known by the moniker MBS, visited on Monday, giving him both the ostentatious firearm and a portrait of himself.
My latest painting is a Personal homage to the strong and never ending bond between #Pakistan 🇵🇰and #KSA🇸🇦"His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman"🇸🇦#mohammadbinsalman Oil paints on canvas Completed in one week 3feet by 3 feetPainted #Rabiazakir PakistaniArtist pic.twitter.com/3JAPD22mVy
— Rabia Zakir (@RabiaZakir4) February 15, 2019
Nothing says 'I saw this and thought of you' like a golden machine gun.
— Patrick Usher (@ZenMortgages) February 20, 2019
The German-engineered firearm is the gift that keeps on giving at 650 rounds per minute, complete with elaborate designs engraved into its gold components.
Islamabad spared no expense welcoming the prince, closing down schools, government institutions and the capital’s airspace, alongside an elaborate formal ceremony.
Also on rt.com Pakistan gets $20bn investment pledge from Saudi Arabia amid MBS visitThe prince’s visit comes as Pakistan’s feud with India over the deadly Kashmir attack deepens, and bin Salman’s $20bn in trade deals surely comes in handy. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan was pleased with the prince’s show of generosity, tweeting that MBS had “won the hearts of the people of Pakistan.”
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman won the hearts of the people of Pakistan when he said “consider me Pakistan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia" in response to my asking him to treat the 2.5 mn Pakistani's working in KSA as his own.#CrownPrinceinPakistanpic.twitter.com/Xr0E2EWKrK
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 18, 2019
MBS’ stop in Pakistan was the first along his tour of Asia which will also include India and China as Saudi Arabia tries to improve its image after a rough year for the country’s PR.
Social media reaction to Pakistan’s gift were fittingly harsh.
Like the golden telephone that Bell Telephone Company gave #PresidentBatista of Cuba in 1958 (Godfather III), but more crass.
— Tigerbright (@AndrewCasey16) February 21, 2019
Given the scandal over Jamal Khashoggi, inviting comparison to a Bond villain may not have been the best move in terms of Saudi Arabia’s rebranding efforts.
MBS - the new James Bond. The “Man with the Golden Gun” with a ‘license to kill’😂
— Serenity Sam (@SerenitySid) February 21, 2019
Opinions were also split about the gun itself, some feeling it was perfectly suited to the prince’s needs, while others advised Islamabad on more fitting alternatives.
Journalists, ye be warned
— Ryan (@helloMrBond) February 20, 2019
If you're gonna bling out a machine gun, the Teutonic austerity of an HK doesn't quite fit. A Russian machine gun, on the other hand... pic.twitter.com/dQiPLJeDC4
— Andrew Wells (@wellsab) February 21, 2019
While Pakistan’s gift is undeniably impressive, it would still pale in comparison to what the Trump administration is rumored to be planning. House Democrats are up in arms over an alleged attempt to sell the Saudi Kingdom sensitive nuclear secrets that might help it develop a nuclear weapon… there is no word yet on whether it will also be decorated with precious metals.
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