PM Shehbaz departs for Saudi Arabia on official visit

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Saudi Arabia on Thursday on a three-day official visit at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with talks expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and reviewing regional developments.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the prime minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi.

The visit, which will continue until August 8, comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and follows Islamabad’s continued diplomatic engagement with regional countries on issues affecting the Middle East.

During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on ways to further deepen the longstanding strategic partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders will discuss measures to strengthen the decades-old brotherly relationship between the two countries, expand bilateral cooperation and exchange views on the evolving regional situation and other issues of mutual interest.

The government said the visit reflects the enduring ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, built on mutual trust, close cooperation and longstanding brotherhood.

It added that the visit is expected to further enhance strategic cooperation, broaden coordination on regional and international issues and reinforce collaboration between the two countries across multiple sectors.

Besides official engagements, Prime Minister Shehbaz will also perform Umrah during the visit and offer prayers at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah.

He will also travel to Madinah, where he is scheduled to pay his respects at Roza-e-Rasool (Peace Be Upon Him).

Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had announced the visit during the ministry’s weekly press briefing, describing it as an important step in further strengthening Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations.

The spokesperson had said the visit carries added significance in view of the current regional situation and is expected to deepen strategic cooperation while enhancing coordination on regional and international issues.

He had said that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will join the delegation after concluding his visit to Jordan, where he represented Pakistan at the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem and held bilateral meetings with several regional counterparts.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close political, defence and economic ties, with the Kingdom remaining one of Islamabad’s key strategic partners and a major source of financial assistance, investment and employment opportunities for Pakistani expatriates.

The two countries have also maintained close coordination on regional security issues and cooperation in multilateral forums.