Saudi | Pakistan

A visit by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler to the White House for talks on Tuesday with United States President Donald Trump aims to deepen decades-old cooperation on oil and security while broadening ties in commerce, technology and potentially even nuclear energy. It will be the first trip by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US since the 2018 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul, which caused a global uproar. US intelligence concluded that MBS approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi, a prominent critic. The crown prince, widely known by his initials MBS, denied ordering the operation but acknowledged responsibility as the kingdom’s de facto ruler. More than seven years later, the world’s largest economy and the world’s top oil producer want to move forward. Trump is seeking to cash in on a $600 billion Saudi investment pledge made during Trump’s visit to the kingdom in May. He steered clear of mentioning human rights concerns during that trip and is expected to do so...

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and his Saudi counterpart Fahad Al-Jalajel held a discussion in Riyadh related to polio eradication from Pakistan, along with talks related to cooperation in the health sector and promotion of investment, the health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The meeting took place a day ago on the sidelines of the Ninth Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, where Kamal was part of a Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Islamabad and Riyadh share long-standing diplomatic ties and, in recent years, have sought to expand and strengthen their partnership by adding greater strategic depth through enhanced cooperation in defence, economy, and health. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. “Both ministers held detailed d...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday ahead of the Ninth Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh. The premier, visiting Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the crown prince, is leading a high-level Pakistani delegation during the trip. The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and PM’s aides Tariq Fatemi and Bilal Bin Saqib, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). A statement issued on X by state broadcaster PTV News said the meeting with the Saudi crown prince was held in a “cordial atmosphere”. “Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. The joint statement of the meeting regarding discussions on promoting trade, investment, and cooperation in various sectors between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be issued shortly,” the statement said, adding that the meeting was attended by FM Dar, COAS Munir an...

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, discussed Gaza during an phone call and also reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region, the Foreign Office said (FO) on Wednesday. “Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone late last night with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan,” the FO posted on X today. According to the FO, the two leaders “reviewed recent developments in the region, including [in] Gaza and Palestine”, building on previous discussions. The FO further stated that both sides “reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region and agreed to stay closely engaged on matters of mutual interest”. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were among the eight Muslim countries that had worked with US President Donald Trump’s administration on a plan to end Israel’s genocide and invasion in Gaza. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan both had hailed the signing ...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met his Saudi counterpart on the third day of his ongoing US visit, the finance ministry said on Thursday, adding that the former briefed the latter about the privatisation process of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and key airports. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the plenary meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) in Washington, D.C., where Aurangzeb arrived on Sunday on a six-day trip. A foreign ministry statement issued today said Aurangzeb continued a series of high-level meetings in the US capital, including his engagement with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan. “He apprised his Saudi counterpart of the ongoing privatisation process of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and key airports, underscoring the government’s resolve to attract strategic investments through transparency and efficiency,” it added. The development comes after a parliamentary committee was informed last month that the PIA Co...

A local court in Karachi has indicted Saudi national Noor Fatima in a case registered under the Foreign Act.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that Saudi investment will pave the way for a new era of prosperity and development in the province, as she welcomed a delegation of the Saudi-Pakistan Business Council led by Prince Mansour bin Mohammed Al Saud.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed a high-level Saudi business delegation on Thursday and highlighted 12 priority sectors for investment in the province. The high-level business delegation from Saudi Arabia, led by Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council Chairman Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to discuss trade, investment and collaboration. The development followed Pakistan forming an 18-member committee to oversee bilateral economic engagements and negotiations with the kingdom. Last month, the two countries also signed a mutual defence agreement, pledging a joint response to any act of aggression. A press release issued today from the CM Secretariat said the delegation was welcomed at CM House by Shah and provincial ministers. It added that the delegation included over 30 prominent businessmen and investors associated with the energy, infrastructure, agriculture, livestock, mining, construction, logistics and investment sectors. Representatives of the Pakistan Bu...

ISLAMABAD - A high-level Saudi business delegation led by Chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Post from multiple Indian users on social media platform X on Friday shared a video clip of a Houthi official, claiming that it showed him threatening Pakistan for allegedly sending troops to the Saudi–Yemen border amid the signing of a mutual defence deal with the kingdom. However, the video is old and does not show the Houthi official talking about Pakistan. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh on Sept 16, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. A statement from the PM’s office announcing the signing of the pact read: “This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.” A known Indian propaganda account shared the picture of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Saudi Crown Prin...

A day after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark mutual defence agreement during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, the premier on Thursday expressed gratitude for the “heart-warming welcome” given to him in the Gulf State and shared that his talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman covered regional challenges, as well as enhancing bilateral cooperation. PM Shehbaz reached Riyadh for a day-long visit yesterday where he and Crown Prince Salman signed the ’Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement’ at the Al-Yamamah Palace in the Saudi capital. “Deeply touched by the heart warming welcome, accorded to me by my dear brother HRH (His Royal Highness) Prince Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia, on my official visit to Riyadh. “From the unprecedented escort provided to my aircraft by the Royal Saudi air force jets to the smartly turned out guard of the Saudi armed forces, this welcome reception speaks volumes about the abiding love and mutual respect between Pa...

The Pakistani and Saudi naval chiefs held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the regional maritime security situation and enhancing defence cooperation. The two countries conducted a bilateral training drill involving their special forces with a high-intensity final test exercise in Karachi in February. The bilateral training exercise was held between the Special Operations Forces (SOFs) of Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) and Special Service Group of Pakistan Navy (SSG-N). A statement issued today from the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) Director General Public Relations said RSNF Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Ghuraybi met Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf at the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, on Tuesday. The Saudi naval chief was received by Admiral Ashraf and presented with a guard of honour. He was also introduced to the principal staff officers. “During meeting, both leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security situation and avenues for enha...

PM speaks with Qatar, Saudi envoys

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday met the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and expressed Pakistan’s gratitude for the kingdom’s support during “a difficult time”, a statement from the NA Secretariat read. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a two-day state visit to the kingdom and performed Umrah on the night of Thursday and Friday, offering prayers for the country’s success in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, the government said on its X account. During his visit, the prime minister “expressed appreciation for the kingdom’s proactive role during recent tensions between Pakistan and India, and its steadfast commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond”, according to a statement from the PM’s office. According to the statement issued today, the Saudi crown prince expressed his commitment to addressing issues that affect the Islamic world when he met with NA Speaker Sadiq, who expressed gratitude for the kingdom’s support for...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently on a two-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, performed Umrah on the night of Thursday and Friday, offering prayers for the country’s success in Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, the government said on its X account. The delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman for a visit from June 5 to 6, according to a statement from the Foreign Office. The visit is focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key areas between both nations. PM Shehbaz is also expected to thank the Saudi leadership for its constructive role in de-escalating the recent Pakistan-India conflict. PM Shehbaz was accompanied by Army Chief Field Marshal General Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, who also performed the Umrah. The gates of the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, were specially opened for the delegation, where th...

Near a sprawling tent city outside Makkah, Saudi hospital staff are preparing for a flood of heat-related cases as Muslim pilgrims begin Haj this week in sweltering summer temperatures. The Mina Emergency Hospital is one of 15 such facilities operating just a few weeks a year around the annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites, which in 2024 saw more than 1,300 people die in the desert heat. Saudi authorities hope to head off a fatal repeat of last year’s pilgrimage when temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures this year are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius as one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, officially commences on Wednesday. So far, authorities have recorded 44 cases of heat exhaustion. Abdullah Asiri, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for population health, told AFP at the Mina hospital that “the focus is on heat-related conditions because the Haj coincides with extreme heat”. Brimming with staff but no patients jus...

Saudi Arabia’s health ministry on Thursday launched a health awareness kit, including one in Urdu, to promote the health and well-being of Haj pilgrims. Haj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is performed each year by millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia. In a post on X, the Saudi health ministry said that the kit was available in eight languages. “In all languages, we care about pilgrims’ health. Explore the health awareness kit to promote health and well-being among pilgrims,” the post said. The multilingual kit contained essential information for pilgrims, such as: preventing heat-related illnesses and managing health in extreme conditions, required vaccinations (meningitis, Covid-19, polio and yellow fever), managing chronic diseases, and accessing free health services during Haj. It also included short videos, social media assets, and printable posters. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the annual Haj agreement in January, which would see ...

A Saudi airline has resumed flights for Iranian Haj pilgrims to the kingdom for the first time in a decade, the latest sign of the warming ties between the countries. “Flynas resumed Iranian pilgrims flights from Imam Khomeini (airport) in Tehran on Saturday,” a Saudi civil aviation authority official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said flights would also be added from Mashhad in Iran, allowing more than 35,000 pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia on the airline. Flynas is a budget airline based in Saudi Arabia, which operates domestic and international routes. The official stressed that the flights were not commercial and were only for the Haj pilgrimage. The Haj is due to begin during the first week of June, and pilgrims from across the globe have already begun pouring into Saudi Arabia. Screengrab of the flight from Jeddah to Tehran. — FlightRadar24 Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia resumed relations in March 2023 under a surprise China-brokered deal after a se...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Adel Al-Jubeir, at the PM House on Friday, addressing the ongoing situation in South Asia. In the meeting, the Saudi minister voiced serious concern over the present circumstances in the region, reaffirming his nation’s plea for de-escalation and […]

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Haj and Umrah has refuted claims that funds from thousands of Pakistani Haj pilgrims were mistakenly sent to the wrong bank account, emphasising that the Kingdom’s digital Haj platform maintains the “utmost levels of transparency,” Arab News Pakistan reported on Tuesday. The clarification followed reports from [multiple] Pakistani media outlets last week, which claimed that over 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims might experience delays in their Haj travel due to millions of Saudi Riyals intended for their expenses being erroneously transferred to an incorrect bank account. “Recent claims in some Pakistani media outlets about ‘Haj funds being sent to the wrong Saudi account’ are baseless and stem from a misunderstanding of the Haj account management system and the ministry’s official electronic Haj platform, which ensures the highest standards of transparency and accuracy,” Arab News Pakistan quoted an official of the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah as saying. According to the report, the of...