Saudi Arabia | Pakistan

Saudi Arabia has appointed Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy as its new ambassador to Pakistan, replacing Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, as the two longtime allies continue to expand cooperation in defence, investment and regional security amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Houthi rebels claimed a missile strike on Saudi Arabia on Saturday, hours after vowing to retaliate against the kingdom for attacks as the Middle East conflict expanded. Riyadh struck Houthi military targets in Hodeida on Friday, with rebel media reporting two wounded after the Yemeni group announced a maritime blockade of the top oil producer and hit its ships. The flare-up marks a new front of the war that has engulfed the region following US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February, and comes on top of Iran’s parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh’s only other maritime route. The rebels had accused Saudi Arabia of a “dangerous escalation” and said its actions “will not go unanswered”. The Houthis’ Ansarollah media said on Telegram early on Saturday that a “Yemeni missile strike” had sparked fires in the southern Saudi city of Jizan on the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the claim. But Riyadh’s civil defence agency had issued brief warnings to residents in Jizan and Yanbu early ...

The United States on Wednesday announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes non-proliferation safeguards. The move comes as the United States under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns with Tehran’s nuclear programme — an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled peace talks. Two agreements — one on “peaceful nuclear cooperation” and another on “bilateral safeguards” — were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the US Energy Department said. The text of the deals was not immediately made public. “Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear non-proliferation,” the department said in a statement. A provision in the deal ...

Pakistan on Wednesday “unequivocally” condemned the recent threats issued by Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Foreign Office said. Islamabad’s statement comes after Yemen’s Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, announced an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the Middle East conflict. The naval blockade, if enforced, could cut off access to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports, which have been vital for oil exports as renewed US-Iran fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear how the Houthis would enforce such a blockade. “Threats against commercial shipping and trading with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are unacceptable and violate established principles of international law,” the FO said in a statement on Wednesday, noting the “continued threats” by Houthis. Islamabad said it was “particularly concerned by reports of threats directed against vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade” with Saudi Arabia. “Such actions thre...

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo of Saudi Arabia on Monday, stepping up the US-Iran war as the rebels threatened the top oil exporter’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The group did not say how it planned to impose the embargo, whose declaration came as Iran said it was back to a “full-scale war” with the United States, and as Washington and Tehran battled to control the strait. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring. The exchange of strikes was set off when an Iranian plane attempted to land in Sanaa, challenging Saudi Arabia’s hegemony over Yemeni skies. The Houthis’ naval blockade, if enforced, could further strain Saudi Arabia’s economy by cutting off access to its Red Sea ports, which have been vital for oil exports as renewed fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade is also expected to hurt global markets that rely on Saudi Arabia — which produces over 10 m...

Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Syedaal Khan Nasir, has said that the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are built on a solid foundation of faith, mutual trust, and shared progress.

The US State Department said on Wednesday it has approved the sale of an estimated $1.96 billion in weapons to bolster Saudi Arabia’s air defences, as the war ramps up in the Middle East. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-Nato ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the State Department said in a release. Among the weapons the Gulf kingdom seeks are up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems and its warheads, which the US Navy’s website describes as “an inexpensive way to destroy targets while limiting collateral damage in close combat”. The principal contractor will be BAE Systems in Nashua, New Jersey, the department said. “The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defence, and improving interoperability with US forces, and other regional and Nato forces,” the ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia, describing them as a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan “strongly condemns the blatant attacks” against Saudi Arabia the previous night, reaffirming Islamabad’s unwavering support for the kingdom’s security. The premier’s condemnation in an X post did not further specify the attacks. But, his statement came after Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Houthis. “Such reprehensible actions constitute a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability,” PM Shehbaz warned. He said Pakistan “reaffirms its unwavering support for the kingdom’s security and stands in complete solidarity with the brotherly kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this critical time”. “On its part, Pakistan will continue to support all sincere efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, security, and mutual understanding across the region,” he added. Pakistan and Saudi Arab...

WASHINGTON: Pakistan on Monday backed Saudi Arabia at an emergency UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, reaffirming Islamabad’s support for the kingdom’s security and territorial integrity and calling for all parties concerned to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy. Yemen has been gripped by conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the beleaguered government the following year. The UN Security Council briefing came after an attack by the Yemeni government on an international airport in Sanaa on Monday. The Yemeni government said it wanted to prevent an Iranian plane from landing in Sanaa after it failed to convince a Houthi delegation, which went to Tehran for assassinated Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral, to board a Yemen flag carrier’s flight instead. Hours after the airport attack, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Houthis. Monday’s flare-up ...

Yemen’s Houthis targeted Saudi Arabia on Monday, hours after the rebels accused the kingdom of attacking Sanaa airport — the biggest flare-up in years between the two sides that threatens to upend a frozen conflict. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government claimed responsibility for the attack on the Houthi-held airport, saying it wanted to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. It came after they failed to convince a Houthi delegation that went to Tehran for the late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral to board a flight on domestic carrier Yemenia instead. “Air defences dealt with a ballistic missile threat launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the southern region,” coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a social media post. Earlier, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of “ending the de-escalation phase” and warned that “this aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished”. The latest escalation threatens to unravel a truce that has been holding since 2022 despite ...

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia urge restraint

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...