ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prime minister and president on Friday expressed concern over the health of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz, offering prayers and well wishes after state media said he had been admitted to hospital in Riyadh for medical examinations.

The Saudi Press Agency reported the King was undergoing medical tests at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, with no further information regarding the nature of the visit or his medical condition.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistanis held the Saudi King in high regard and were praying for his recovery.

“Deeply concerned by the news that Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is admitted in hospital for medical tests,” he said. “The people of Pakistan hold His Majesty in the highest esteem. We join our Saudi brothers and sisters in praying for His Majesty’s swift and complete recovery.”

President Asif Ali Zardari also conveyed his wishes, saying the entire Pakistani nation was praying for the Saudi King’s health and well-being, according to a statement issued by the presidency.

Pakistan has longstanding diplomatic and institutional ties with Saudi Arabia, and its leadership has consistently expressed deep respect for the Saudi royal family, particularly in view of the Kingdom’s religious significance and its role in the Muslim world.