Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on to expand Pakistan’s ties with Saudi -Arabia outside the defense cooperation and calls for a renewed focus on trade, business and investment. He said the kingdom was fully prepared to support Pakistan to promote this shared financial vision.
According to Express News, the prime minister hosted a lunch in the PM house in honor of a high-level Saudi delegation on Wednesday. After the event, Prime Minister Shehbaz spoke with the guests and highlighted the strong and lasting ties between the two countries.
“We are gathered here as a family,” said the prime minister, remembering his decades long political career and previous visits to the kingdom. “I first visited Saudi -Arabia in the late 1960s. I’ve been there many times since, but the recent trip to Riyadh was unprecedented.”
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He praised the unwavering support that Saudi Arabia has expanded to Pakistan over the years, especially in difficult times, which called the relationship ‘irreparable and based on sustained commitment’.
With reference to the recent defense agreement between the two countries and called it as a formalization of their brotherly ties, Premier stated that the partnership would now focus on financial cooperation.
“Each Muslim is ready to sacrifice life to protect the holy places. Pakistan will always be ready to protect Makkah and Madinah,” he said.
Looking ahead, Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the importance of transforming shared financial hopes into reality. “We want to strengthen Pakistan-Saudi tape through business and investment. For this, both nations must work together in close cooperation.”
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He added that joint efforts in trade, investment, research and development would be an important focus in the future. “Today we have the opportunity to learn from Saudi -Arabia, and we have to take full advantage of it.” He also paid tribute to the leadership of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and said, “His visionary leadership has reshaped the Saudi community and opened new horizons.”
In a speech on behalf of the Saudi delegation, Prince Mansour confirmed bin Mohammed al Saud, who leads the visiting team, the kingdom’s intention to elaborate on the economic ties with Pakistan.
“We are here to attend Pakistan-Saudi Joint Business Council meeting,” he said, adding that before their visit meetings were held with all the most important Saudi ministers to discuss potential strategic projects in Pakistan.
The meeting confirmed the obligation from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to elaborate on their partnership across all sectors with a common focus on long-term strategic cooperation.
Prince Mansour assured that Saudi investors would cause all necessary facilities to invest in Pakistan, which further strengthens the kingdom’s readiness to cooperate on long -term financial goals.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz also met the chairman of the Saudi Shura Council, Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh.
The President expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality and called the defense agreement a milestone in the long -standing relationship between the two nations. He said the deal reflects the deeply rooted fraternity between the population of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
He also emphasized the importance of further strengthening parliamentary relations and called for increased cooperation between the legislative institutions in both countries.
Both leaders agreed to promote regular exchanges of parliamentary delegations to build stronger institutional ties and promote mutual understanding.
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The Prime Minister said Pakistan attaches great importance to his defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and considers it a step that will improve economic, strategic, defense and trade between the two fraternal countries.
During the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Riyadh on invitation from Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark ‘strategic mutual defense agreement,’ declares ‘any aggression against both country to be considered an aggression against both.’
The meeting also attended Vice Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, speaking for the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Federal Minister Sardar Yusuf and other senior officials.
