ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is advancing toward a “comprehensive defense relationship” with Saudi Arabia, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Wednesday as he met a Saudi delegation led by the Kingdom’s assistant defense minister, Engr. Talat Abdullah Alotaibi.
Pakistan enjoys multifaceted, cordial relations with Saudi Arabia which has seen the two countries collaborate in the areas of defense, trade, economy, and various other sectors. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistanis who serve as an important source of remittances for the cash-strapped South Asian country.
On Wednesday, Alotaibi, along with his delegation, called on Asif to discuss bilateral defense and other issues. According to a statement released by Pakistan’s defense ministry, Alotaibi said the Kingdom seeks Pakistan’s support in defense production and wishes to enhance defense-related collaborations with Islamabad.
“Building on a solid legacy, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are progressing toward a comprehensive defense relationship for the twenty-first century,” the ministry quoted Asif as saying.
During the meeting, the defense minister proposed an “all-encompassing strategic cooperation agreement” to deepen defense ties between the two countries, the statement added.
On Tuesday, Alotaibi met Pakistan’s army chief General Syed Asim Munir to review the strategic partnership between the two countries and discussed cooperation in defense and military fields, the Saudi defense ministry said.
Earlier this month, Munir visited the Kingdom where he held talks on defense, bilateral and regional issues with the Saudi leadership, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Following the meeting between the two sides, the Saudi crown prince ordered authorities to study increasing its investments in Pakistan to $10 billion and ways to increase its deposits in the country to $5 billion.
