Riyadh
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived at Riyadh\u2019s Yamama Palace on Wednesday for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on multiple issues of bilateral interest.
\nThe two countries have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in mutual economic interests, strategic military cooperation, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad.
\nThe premier was welcomed by the Saudi crown prince and presented with a guard of honour.
\nPM Shehbaz was earlier received by Riyadh Deputy Governor Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz upon his arrival in the city, according to a post on X by PTV News.
\nAnother post showed PM Shehbaz and the deputy governor having a meeting.
\nAs soon as the premier\u2019s plane entered Saudi airspace, \u201cSaudi Air Force jets escorted and protected it\u201d, state-run PTV News reported.
\n\u201cThis was a gesture of brotherly love and respect by the Government of Saudi Arabia. This honour in the Muslim world is the result of Allah\u2019s blessings, Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s diplomatic skills, and the unparalleled achievements of our Armed Forces.\u201d
\nThe Foreign Office (FO) said that PM Shehbaz undertook the visit at the invitation of the Saudi crown prince.
\n\u201cDuring the visit, the prime minister will hold [a] bilateral meeting with the crown prince, to review the entire spectrum of Pakistan\u2013Saudi Arabia relations,\u201d the statement added.
\nIn its statement, the FO said that both leaders were expected to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. \u201cThe 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,\u201d it added.
\nHighlighting the \u201chistoric relationship\u201d between the countries, the statement said that the visit will \u201cprovide 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\u201d.
\nThe premier was accompanied by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Environment Minister Musadik Malik and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, state media Radio Pakistan reported.
\nIn July, President Asif Zardari met Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Malki to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, economy and culture. During the meeting, President Zardari invited Saudi investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan.
\nPM Shehbaz had met the Saudi crown prince on a two-day official visit in June, where he thanked the Saudi leader for his role in ending the conflict between Pakistan and India in May.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Riyadh Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived at Riyadh\u2019s Yamama Palace on Wednesday for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on multiple issues of bilateral interest. The two countries have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in mutual economic interests, strategic military cooperation, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":503418,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-503396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n