Pakistan, Saudi Arabia pledges to expand bilateral ties mutual trust & support: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday left here for Saudi Arabia on a three-day visit at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.  Federal Ministers and parliamentarians including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Muftah Ismail, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Khawaja Asif, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Mohsin Dawar accompanied the prime minister.

“Today, I am embarking on a visit to Saudi Arabia to renew and reaffirm our bonds of brotherhood and friendship,” the prime minister said in a tweet ahead of his three-day visit to in his video message before embarking on his three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia today [Thursday], he said the people of Pakistan hold the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the highest esteem. He said we are profoundly grateful to Saudi Arabia for its consistent support to Pakistan in its difficult hour. For its part, Pakistan always stood by Saudi Arabia and will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our Saudi brethern.

Shehbaz Sharif said the visionary Saudi leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has worked assiduously to achieve greater progress and prosperity for the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia. He said we take pride in the remarkable development achieved by Saudi Arabia within the framework of Crown Prince’s vision of 2030 which is a transformational initiative. He also commends the Kingdom’s leadership of the Muslim Ummah and its deep commitment to Muslim causes.

The Prime Minister said he looks forward to his interactions with the Saudi leadership to review our multifaceted bilateral cooperation and to take this special relationship to unknown heights. He also conveyed his sincere good wishes to Pakistani expatriates in the Kingdom, who have always contributed enormously to the economic development of Pakistan. He said they are our key partners in further fortifying Pakistan-Saudi brotherly relations. Saudi Arabia on April 28-30.

During the visit, he will have bilateral interaction with the Saudi leadership, with a particular focus on advancing economic, trade, and investment ties and creating greater opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in Saudi Arabia. The two sides will also exchange views on a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Foreign Office in a statement said: “The prime minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia will impart a strong impetus to deepening bilateral cooperation in diverse fields and further reinforce the growing partnership between the two countries.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are bound by a fraternal relationship marked by mutual trust and understanding, close cooperation, and an abiding tradition of supporting each other. The people of Pakistan hold the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the highest esteem.

The bilateral relationship is complemented by close mutual collaboration at regional and international fora. Saudi Arabia is a member of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to more than two million Pakistanis, contributing to the progress, prosperity, and economic development of the two brotherly countries. The regular high-level visits are a key feature of this special relationship.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s historic visit to Saudi Arabia would open up a new chapter in exemplary friendship between the two countries.

Marriyum said that the visit was a manifestation of a historic relationship based on brotherhood, warmth, and mutual trust.

She said that after four years of confusion and turmoil, Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries were being mended now.

She congratulated the nation on the resumption of the journey of stability, development, and prosperity. PM Sharif said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were bound by deep-rooted and abiding fraternal ties, which were built on the solid foundation of mutual trust and support.

He said the people of Pakistan held the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in high esteem.

“We are profoundly grateful to Saudi Arabia for its consistent support in difficult times,” he said.

He said Pakistan had always stood with Saudi Arabia at different occasions and “would always stand with our Saudi brethren”.

He said the visionary Saudi leadership had worked assiduously for the people of Saudi Arabia, adding that Pakistan took pride in the remarkable achievement of Saudi Arabia within the framework of the Crown Prince’s visionary 2030 project.

He commended the leadership role of Saudi Arabia among the Muslim Ummah and for its deep commitment to the Muslim cause.

He also conveyed his best wishes for the Pakistani expatriates in the Kingdom for always contributing enormously to the economic development of Pakistan.

He said the Pakistani diaspora was a key partner in further fortifying the Pak-Saudi relationship.