ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is expecting to strengthen and “add value” to its defense ties with Saudi Arabia during next month’s expected visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday.
Asif delivered the keynote address during the Arab News Pakistan Annual Workshop 2022 in Islamabad and held a detailed question and answer session with the team, which included editors, reporters and top management from Pakistan, Asia and Riyadh.
The Saudi crown prince is likely to be in Islamabad either right before or after the upcoming summit of the Group of 20 biggest economies, which is scheduled to take place in Indonesia on Nov. 15-16.
“His royal highness’s visit will strengthen this relationship further and will add value to this relationship, in both the field of defense and in the field of investment,” he told the workshop participants. “It’s a very important visit.”
The minister said Pakistan “immensely” values its relationship with the Kingdom.
“It has a pivotal role in our foreign policy,” he added. “They are our brothers and they have helped us in very difficult times over the years, over the decades.”
The upcoming trip will be the crown prince’s second official visit to Pakistan, which Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said is highly anticipated.
“We are waiting with love and affection for the day when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit Pakistan,” the interior minister said during a ceremony in Islamabad to celebrate the kingdom’s 92nd National Day in late September. “He will come to Pakistan in November this year.”
During the crown prince’s first trip in 2019, the two countries signed investment deals worth $21 billion, including for an oil refinery project, and food and agriculture projects.
