Saudi Arabia to release Pakistanis arrested for ‘insulting’ official delegation in Madinah last April

A general view of Ha'er Prison in Saudi Arabia July 6, 2015. (REUTERS/FILE)
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Updated 26 October 2022
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Saudi Arabia to release Pakistanis arrested for ‘insulting’ official delegation in Madinah last April

  • Two Pakistani ministers were harassed by a group of people in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque earlier this year
  • Saudi police arrested at least five of them for violating ‘the sanctity of the place,’ jeopardizing the ‘safety of worshippers’

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered to release all Pakistani prisoners who were held by the police for “insulting” a government delegation from Pakistan at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah earlier this year, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad. 

The kingdom’s police arrested at least five Pakistani nationals in April for “abusing and insulting” federal ministers of information and narcotics control, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Shahzain Bugti, in the courtyard of the mosque. 

The act was allegedly performed by the supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party who loudly chanted slogans against the two ministers and were later arrested for violating “the sanctity of the place” and putting “the safety of visitors and worshipers” in jeopardy. 

“Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has announced a big decision for Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia,” said the official statement. “He has ordered the release of all Pakistanis imprisoned in the Masjid-e-Nabawi sloganeering incident.” 

The statement added the decision was announced after the Pakistani prime minister requested the Saudi crown prince to release all those Pakistani nationals who were arrested in the wake of the incident. 

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had requested Prince Mohammed bin Salman to forgive [the prisoners],” the PM Office said. 

It added that Sharif thanked the crown prince for making the announcement. 


Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

Updated 09 January 2026
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Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

  • Delegation briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia
  • Visit reflects close defense cooperation, including a bilateral security pact signed last year

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi defense delegation visited Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday to learn about Islamabad’s diplomatic priorities and engagements as the two countries strengthen security collaboration and consult more closely on regional and international issues.

The visit comes amid sustained high-level engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh, with regular contacts spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.

A 15-member delegation from the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Command and Staff College met officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an official statement.

“The visit of the delegation to Pakistan is a manifestation of excellent defense and security relations between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.

It added that officials briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s foreign policy issues and bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, followed by an interactive session.

The head of the delegation thanked Pakistani authorities for facilitating the visit, the statement said.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense and security cooperation, including training exchanges and joint exercises.

In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement under which aggression against one would be treated as a threat to the other.

While Saudi diplomats are regular visitors to the Pakistani foreign ministry, such visits by defense delegations are rare, reflecting that the two sides seek to understand each other’s defense and diplomatic perspectives more closely.