ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defense Production Zobaida Jalal held separate meetings with two Arab envoys on Thursday, praising her country’s strong diplomatic bonds with the two states in the Middle East and North Africa. 

According to an official handout circulated in Islamabad, the minister met the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki at her office and told him that Pakistan attached great significance to its relations with the Kingdom. 

She noted that the Saudi-Pak religious, cultural and fraternal ties had a remarkable history, adding that people of both countries had tremendous regard for each other. 

Jalal said that the two allies had commonality of views on all regional and international issues and should continue to nurture their relationship further.

In response, the Saudi ambassador “expressed his good wishes for the government and people of Pakistan” and said that there was “a feeling of oneness” between them that signified the closeness and depth of their relationship. 

The minister also met the Egyptian ambassador to Pakistan Tarek Dahrough later in the day and said that his country held an important position in the region as well as in the Muslim world. 

Jalal added that there was a great scope and scale of cooperation between Pakistan and Egypt, pointing out that the defense industries of the two countries could work together to enhance their production capabilities. 

“The visiting dignitary acknowledged the existing scope and scale of cooperation and committed to undertake joint ventures in the respective domains,” the statement added. 

Expressing her gratitude on Egypt’s “principled” stance on Kashmir, the minister said that her country appreciated Cairo’s support and hoped that the two countries would continue to help each other on a reciprocal basis in the future as well.