PM Shehbaz holds talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia likely to sign multibillion-dollar investment agreement
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday.
Upon arrival at the royal palace, Qasr Al-Yamamah, in Riyadh, Shehbaz Sharif was welcomed with full royal protocol, including a mounted guard of honour. At the royal court, Mohammed bin Salman personally received him, and the Saudi armed forces also presented a guard of honour.
The two leaders then began their bilateral meeting. According to officials, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are expected to sign a landmark agreement involving multibillion-dollar Saudi investments across several sectors during the prime minister’s visit. An announcement in this regard will be made following the talks.
Ahead of the expected signing, authorities in Islamabad ordered government buildings to be illuminated and to display the flags of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Officials said the agreement would mark a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties and deepening economic cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier, on arriving in Saudi Arabia for the state visit, Shehbaz received a warm welcome as Saudi F-15 fighter jets escorted his plane upon entering the kingdom’s airspace.
Speaking onboard his special flight, Shehbaz expressed gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for what he called a “gracious aerial welcome” extended by the Royal Saudi Air Force.
At King Khalid International Airport, the prime minister and his delegation were received by Riyadh’s Deputy Governor Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, and senior diplomatic officials.
Pakistani flags were hoisted across the city to mark the visit. Shehbaz was greeted with a 21-gun salute, while a contingent of the Saudi armed forces presented a guard of honour.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal AsimMunir, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister AttaullahTarar, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the prime minister.
The visit is expected to result in the formalisation of cooperation in diverse fields, reflecting the shared commitment of both sides to further enhance and deepen their longstanding fraternal ties.
In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy a historic relationship, rooted in shared faith, values and mutual trust.
The visit of the PM will provide an important opportunity to the two leaders to consolidate this unique partnership, while exploring new avenues of collaboration, for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
PM Shehbaz has been in Qatar this week, attending the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit, where he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on the sidelines. The Summit was held following the Israeli attack on Doha targeting Hamas negotiators.
Officials described the talks as warm and cordial. The two leaders discussed the regional situation following Israel’s aggression. “This was a deliberate attempt by Israel to derail Middle East peace efforts,” Sharif said, condemning the attack. Shehbaz praised Mohammed bin Salman’s “bold and sagacious leadership” in unifying the Muslim world and assured him of Pakistan’s “all-out diplomatic support, particularly at the UN Security Council, where Pakistan is a non-permanent member, as well as at other multilateral fora, including the OIC.” Staff Report
