Saudi Arabia | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and advancing diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting regional peace and stability during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with the Acting Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, in Jeddah, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday that an agreement had been signed with Saudi Arabia for the construction of a modern cricket stadium in Jeddah. In a post on X, the cricket board said the agreement was signed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) chief Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Mohammad Al Saud. Naqvi is currently in Saudi Arabia on an official visit. “For the first time in history, a strategic agreement has been signed between the PCB and the SACF for the construction of a modern cricket stadium in Jeddah,” he said. “The PCB will build a cricket stadium as per international standards and with state-of-the-art facilities. All the facilities will be according to the standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC),” the statement said. It further said that the two boards would jointly work on infrastructure development, technical expertise, stadium planning and operational standards. It said the project would play a key role in enabling Saudi Arabia to h...

A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco. The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east. “The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash. The incident took place at 6am local time (0300 GMT), the state news agency said. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar extended condolences over the incident. “The government, myself and the people of Pakistan are deeply grieved by the tragic news of the helicopter crash in Ras Tanura, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has claimed the 14 precious lives,” he said in a message on X. “Pakistan extends heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the Kingdom,” he said, adding, “Pakistan stands in complete and unwav...

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt on Sunday welcomed the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran during a Regional Four (R-4) meeting in Cairo, emphasising the importance of achieving a “swift and successful” conclusion to the subsequent phase of negotiations. The meeting came the same day as Pakistan, along with c0-mediator Qatar, hosted delegations from the US and Iran in Switzerland for high-level technical talks ironing out the details of the MoU. On Friday, the FO had announced that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar would attend the fourth meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo on June 21 at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart. In a joint statement issued by the participating nations, shared by the Foreign Office on X, the R-4 meet which convened in Cairo on Sunday at the invitation of Egypt, welcomed the signing of the Islamabad MoU. The participating nations viewed the important development as a “constructive step towards de-es...

Pakistan is targeting the training and deployment of 300,000 to 400,000 workers for projects linked to the FIFA World Cup 2034 which will take place in Saudi Arabia as part of a broader strategy to expand overseas employment opportunities and strengthen the country’s position in international labour markets. According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, workforce planning is being aligned with anticipated demand arising from the FIFA World Cup 2034, with trained Pakistani workers expected to support infrastructure development, aviation, tourism and related service sectors between 2026 and 2034. The initiative forms part of the government’s wider efforts to boost manpower exports and enhance the skills profile of Pakistani workers for overseas employment. During July-March FY2025-26, a total of 215,719 workers received soft-skills training aimed at improving adaptability, productivity and global employability. The documents indicate that overseas employment remains a key pillar of Pakistan’s ...

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar Saturday held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan and discussed the regional situation.

Saudi Arabia launched its second national carrier Riyadh Air after more than a year of delays on Wednesday, defying the economic turmoil triggered by the Middle East war and strong competition from established Gulf airlines. A London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Riyadh Air’s white and lavender livery took off at 2:30am local time, putting in motion a flagship project in Saudi Arabia’s push to reduce its economic reliance on oil. Riyadh Air, the country’s second state-owned airline after Jeddah-based Saudia, is meant to help turn the Saudi capital into a global hub to rival Dubai, the world’s busiest for international passengers. “We want to bring glamour, we want to bring refinement, we want to bring grace back,” Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas told AFP. The launch, originally planned for 2025, was set back by delivery delays from Boeing, which has suffered a series of manufacturing and safety problems in recent years. It also follows unprecedented attacks from Iran, which has fired thousands of drones and miss...

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and local partners have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a maritime business district on prime Karachi Port Trust’s (KPT) waterfront land, the maritime affairs ministry said on Saturday. In a statement, Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the MoU was signed between KPT, Saudi Business Council–Najd Gateway Holding Company, Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited (AHDRML), and the Pakistan Corporate Consortium. The proposed project would be built on a 140‑acre KPT site on Karachi’s MT Khan Road and is intended to transform the area into a major commercial and maritime hub, the minister said. The development is envisaged to include modern commercial infrastructure aimed at attracting investment, generating employment, and supporting urban development, he added. “This strategic collaboration is a transformative opportunity to unlock the full potential of KPT’s waterfront assets and position Pakistan as a regional hub for maritime co...

Two hundred personnel from the Federal Constabulary’s Special Diplomatic Protection Unit will receive training in Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said on Thursday. The decision was taken during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Saudi counterpart Abdulaziz bin Saud Al Saud in Mina, Saudi Arabia. In a social media post on X, the ministry said both ministers exchanged Eidul Azha greetings, while the Saudi minister congratulated Naqvi on performing Haj. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on bilateral relations between the two countries and internal security matters, the ministry said. “It was decided that 200 personnel of the Federal Constabulary Special Diplomatic Protection Unit will receive training in Saudi Arabia,” it stated. The two ministers also discussed the recent situation in the region, with the Saudi minister praising Pakistan’s positive role in reducing tensions, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced that Pakistan’s Hajj flight operation is set to conclude today, with 3,296 pilgrims departing for Saudi Arabia on 12 flights from various cities across the country.

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom, a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) said. In a post on X, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry reported that three drones were intercepted and destroyed on Monday morning, having originated from Iraqi airspace. The United Arab Emirates condemned the incident earlier today, while Iraq said it is investigating the incident. In its statement, the FO condemned in the strongest possible terms the drone attacks carried out against Riyadh, noting: “Such attacks constitute a serious violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and appear to be an attempt to further undermine regional peace and stability.” It added that the government and the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the Saudi government and people, reaffirming their “full and unwavering support for the kingdom’s security, peace and prosperity.” The incident occurred after strikes on the Barakah nuclear plant in the UAE...

The number of Pakistani pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia under the government Hajj scheme has reached 61,147 as Hajj flight operations continue successfully from different cities of Pakistan.

Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation is continuing at full pace, with more than 46,000 pilgrims already arriving in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Saturday said that Saudi Arabia had reversed its decision to set the minimum age for Haj pilgrims at 15. Earlier in the day, the ministry, in a letter, had said that Saudi Arabia had set the minimum age for pilgrims at 15. It had said that the restrictions would be effective from 12am on May 3, 2026 (Monday). “The government of Saudi Arabia has assured that all affected pilgrims will receive a full refund of the deposited amount,” the ministry had assured the public. Subsequently, in a statement reiterating the new directives, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) had said, “No pilgrim under the age of 15 years will be allowed to board Hajj flights, and such visas shall be treated as cancelled under this policy.” However, hours later, the religious affairs ministry issued a new letter to officials, which stated the kingdom had “reversed its decision regarding the under-15-year age restriction for Haj”. It said that its previous instructions “may be deemed withdr...

Passport-related services for Pakistani citizens have been temporarily suspended at missions in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates due to technical issues.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday the government had no plans to seek more bilateral financing from friendly countries and that Pakistan’s external position had stabilised following recent inflows from Saudi Arabia. The minister made these remarks on sidelines of the first high-level EU Pakistan Business Forum in Islamabad, organised by the European Union in collaboration with the government of Pakistan, marking a key step in strengthening bilateral economic ties. He said after securing $3 billion from Saudi Arabia, that there was no need for additional financing. Recently, Saudi Arabia had pledged an additional $3bn in deposits for Pakistan and extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years. Subsequently, Pakistan received $2bn from the kingdom on April 15 and another $1bn on April 21 under the arrangement. Aurangzeb said the government was now shifting its focus towards commercial borrowing rather than bilateral financing. He said the government was set to issue a...

ISLAMABAD - The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) received $1 billion from the Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marking the second tranche of a $3 billion deposit agreed recently.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has received $1 billion from Saudi Arabia as the second tranche of a recently agreed $3 billion financial support package, the central bank said on Tuesday.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistan has received $1 billion from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “State Bank of Pakistan has received funds of US$1 billion from Ministry of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the value date of 20April2026.” The central bank said this is the second tranche of the $3bn deposit recently agreed by Saudi Arabia. The first tranche of $2bn was transferred last week. The development came following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia to push diplomatic efforts to promote peace in the Middle East. On Friday, the kingdom pledged an additional $3bn in deposits for Pakistan and extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years. Pakistan will reportedly return a $3.5bn loan to the UAE this month, putting pressure on its reserves and risking breaches of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets. The development comes at a sensitive time for the country’s external account position, which is already under strain from ris...