Dawn
-
20:55 Mar 12, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a “restricted meeting” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, PM’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi said in a post on X after the premier landed in Jeddah. The statement said the premier expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” for Saudi Arabia “in these challenging times”, and agreed to work together for regional peace and stability. The prime minister’s visit comes amid intense hostilities in the Middle East, where Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — are facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says are aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes. The statement shared by Zaidi said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present on the occasion. “At the outset, the prime minister conveyed his respectful regards and best wishes to the custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaz...