Pakistan’s foreign minister arrives in Riyadh on two-day official visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari arrived in Riyadh on a two-day official visit, said a spokesperson of the country’s diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, to co-chair a high-profile meeting on strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries. 
The foreign minister traveled to Riyadh from Sharm El-Sheikh where he was part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation that met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of a United Nations Climate Change Conference. 
This was the second leadership-level contact between the two countries within a few weeks since Sharif also went to the kingdom last month. 
“The foreign minister landed in Riyadh this afternoon,” Pakistani mission’s spokesperson Aimen Nadeem told Arab News. 
A statement issued by the foreign office in Islamabad said earlier in the day Bhutto-Zardari would “co-chair the Joint Sub-Committee meeting of the Political and Security pillar of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC) with his Saudi counterpart.” 
The council was formed last year to provide strategic direction to the bilateral relations between the two countries and address any issues preventing them from further strengthening their mutual cooperation. 
The foreign minister is also expected to hold a meeting with the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council during the visit. 
Apart from his other official engagements in the kingdom, he will also interact with the local media and noted individuals in the kingdom. 
“The visit of the Foreign Minister will further deepen Pakistan’s engagement with Saudi Arabia for enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two brotherly countries,” the foreign office statement added.