Saudi Arabia | Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday about his upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye “for further engagement to promote peace efforts” and took him into confidence on “all aspects of the dialogue” between Iran and the United States, a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat said. Pakistan hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad over the weekend, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979, seeking a resolution to the US-Israeli war on Iran. However, both delegations departed the capital on Sunday after the talks ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. It is now being reported that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week. On Monday, PM Shehbaz also told a meeting of the federal cabinet that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict. The President Secretariat’s statement said PM Shehbaz called Zardari at the Aiwan-i-Sadr today, and the latter “appreciated the untiring ef...

Saudi Arabia has introduced stricter labour regulations for foreign nationals seeking employment in the Kingdom, marking a significant policy shift aimed at improving workplace discipline.

Pakistan has sent a military force and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to boost security under a joint defence cooperation agreement between the two countries, the Saudi defence ministry said on Saturday. The Saudi ministry, in a statement, wrote that a military force and fighter jets from Pakistan had arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in its eastern province. It added that the Pakistani deployment was aimed at “strengthening the joint defence cooperation agreement signed between the two brotherly countries”. “The Pakistani force consists of fighter and support aircraft belonging to the Pakistani Air Force, with the aim of enhancing joint military coordination, raising the level of operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries,” it continued. The planes were sent after Iranian strikes hit key energy infrastructure and killed a Saudi national, three sources, including a senior Pakistani government official, told Reuters. They were “not there to attack anyone”, said the Pakistani officia...

Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House during his one-day visit to Islamabad, as Pakistan hosts high-level diplomatic engagements in the capital.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday held telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov to exchange views on the evolving regional situation.

Pakistan on Tuesday condemned Iranian missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities, terming the attacks as “a dangerous escalation” that undermined regional peace and stability. In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said, “The government of Pakistan expresses its deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the missile and drone attacks carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran last night against energy facilities in the Eastern Region of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The statement said that Pakistan also mourned the loss of life resulting from these attacks and “strongly deplores the damage inflicted on vital infrastructure”. The statement also conveyed Pakistan’s condolences to the families of the victims, adding that the country firmly stood in solidarity with the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during this difficult time. “The government of Pakistan considers these attacks a serious violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a dangerous ...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned the missile and drone attacks allegedly carried out by Iran on energy facilities in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia, expressing deep concern over the loss of lives and damage to critical infrastructure, and reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with the Kingdom.

The army’s top brass on Tuesday condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran as “an unnecessary escalation”, according to the military’s media affairs wing. The development came as Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir presided over the 274th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). It said that the forum appreciated the “hectic efforts” taken by the government to bring an end to the war in the Middle East, “echoing the call for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to principled diplomacy and constructive engagement”. “The forum reiterated Pakistan’s role as a responsible regional stakeholder, actively contributing to peace and stability as a regional security stabiliser,” the statement said. It added that the forum noted with “concern and vehemently condemned the latest attacks on...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to host the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt from March 29-30 for “in-depth discussions” on a variety of issues, including efforts to reduce the ongoing tensions in the region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. In a press release issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia’s FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkiye’s FM Hakan Fidan, and Egypt’s FM Dr Badr Abdelatty will visit Islamabad from March 29 to March 30. “During the visit, the foreign ministers will hold in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” the FO said, adding that the visiting dignitaries will also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Pakistan highly values its relations with the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt,” the FO statement underscored. “The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan’s cooperat...

Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have signed an air defence agreement during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the kingdom, which is facing Iranian drone attacks, two senior officials told AFP on Friday. Kyiv has sought to leverage its expertise in downing Russian drones to help Gulf nations, which are being attacked with the same kind of Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia fires on Ukraine. “The point of the agreement is that Ukraine will support them in developing all the necessary components of air defence, which they currently lack,” one official said of the document which, according to another was signed on Thursday. Both spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity. Kyiv has been using a mix of cheap drone interceptors, electronic jamming tools and anti-aircraft guns to down Russian drones fired at its cities on a nightly basis for four years. It touts its anti-drone defences as the best in the world. Ukraine has proposed swapping its interceptors for vastly more expensive air-defence missiles that G...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for an unannounced visit, as the war in Iran spurs interest among Gulf countries in Ukrainian arms technology. The two countries are set to sign an agreement on “security cooperation — in particular, the protection of the skies”, later on Thursday, a senior official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. They did not provide further details of what was set to be in the accord. Kyiv has sought to leverage its expertise in downing Russian drones to help Gulf nations, which are being attacked with the same Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia fires on Ukraine. Zelensky has said that more than 200 Ukrainian anti-drone experts have been deployed to several countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, since the US-Israel strikes on Iran spurred retaliatory drone and missile attacks targetting US assets and bases from Tehran. While Tehran accepts responsibility for some of the attacks, it denies having a role in others, ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing Middle East hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation. He made the remarks during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wherein the two discussed Iran’s retaliatory attacks sparked by the US-Israel military actions on February 28. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) about the phone call early this morning termed their conversation “warm and cordial”. “While appreciating the leadership of the Kingdom for demonstrating remarkable restraint in the current crisis, the prime minister reassured His Royal Highness that Pakistan would always stand by the Kingdom and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia, just as they had always supported Pakistan, through thick and thin,” the PMO stated. It further said that the prime minister “reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed, once again, Pakistan’s com...

Saudi Arabia announced that Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on Friday, according to a statement published by state media. “The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Thursday, is the completion of the 30th day of the month of Ramazan, and that Friday is the day of the Blessed Eidul Fitr,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. Across the Muslim world, Ramazan festivities this year were overshadowed by the ongoing war in the Middle East, triggered by the US and Israel’s attack on Iran. The Gulf region has been pummelled with repeated strikes by Iran in a retaliatory blitz, with airports, residential areas, energy installations and military bases targeted with ballistic missiles and drones. Last week, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) forecast that Eidul Fitr was expected to fall on March 21 as the chances of sighting the Shawwal moon on March 19 were low. However, it said that the final decision would be made by the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee. Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorolog...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Saudi Arabia on Thursday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East following the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to stand alongside Saudi Arabia, highlighting the deep-rooted strategic relationship between the two nations as tensions rise in the Middle East.

Prime Minister’s Spokesperson for Foreign Media Mosharraf Zaidi on Wednesday said that Pakistan would be there for Saudi Arabia “before it is needed”, adding “no matter what, no matter when”. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Zaidi was asked about whether Pakistan would come to Saudi Arabia’s aid “militarily or otherwise” amid war triggered in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. “The question is not whether Pakistan might come to Saudi Arabia’s aid. Both countries, even before the strategic mutual defence agreement, have operated on a principle of being there for the other before they need the other. So, there is no question that we might; we will. No matter what, no matter when,” he said. He maintained that the “real question” was what Pakistan was doing to make sure that things did not escalate to a point where “any of its closest partners are further embroiled in a conflict that potentially undermines stability and prosperity, not just for the region at large but especially for the Pakis...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday formally requested that Saudi Arabia provide an alternative oil supply route through Yanbu to maintain its fuel supply chain in the wake of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the United States-Israel attack on Iran. The request was made by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik to the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki during a meeting. The Saudi ambassador assured full support in this regard, according to a statement by the petroleum division. During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation. The minister apprised the ambassador about the current situation and the implications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on global energy markets. He stated that Pakistan is closely monitoring the evolving situation on a daily basis, as the majority of Pakistan’s energy supplies transit through the strait. The minister emphasised that Pakistan’s government was actively endeavouring to ensure continui...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday arrived in Saudi Arabia on a two-day visit to attend an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Council’s (OIC) Executive Committee. The Extraordinary Open-Ended Ministerial Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee is set to be held tonight in Jeddah. It will “consider the illegal decisions of the Israeli occupation authorities aimed at expanding settlements, pursuing annexation, and attempting to impose Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied West Bank”, according to the Foreign Office (FO). Dar was received at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the OIC Ambassador Fawad Sher, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, and Consul General in Jeddah Syed Mustafa Rabbani, FO said. The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of the Israeli government approving a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” for the first time since the occupation of the...

The holy month of Ramadan has officially started in Saudi Arabia, other Gulf nations, and Afghanistan, with Muslims observing their first fast today.

The Ramazan moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday night, according to Gulf News. In separate reports, the publication said that Wednesday (Feb 18) would be the first day of the holy month in both countries. The official Saudi Press Agency also said on X that Wednesday would be the first day of the holy month in the kingdom. Tolo News, meanwhile, also announced that Ramazan would begin on February 18 in Afghanistan. “In a statement issued by the Supreme Court, it said that in the provinces of Parwan, Kandahar, Helmand, and Zabul, a large number of people sighted the crescent moon of Ramadan and reported it to the Sharia courts,” it said in a post on X. Saudi Arabia’s Gulf neighbours Oman, Qatar and the UAE also made similar announcements. Last week, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said that the first day of Ramazan in Pakistan “likely to fall” on February 19 (Thursday). However, the agency said the final announcement regarding the beginning of the...