ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will arrive in Pakistan on Monday on a two-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries, the Pakistani foreign office said.
The Saudi foreign minister’s visit comes a week after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion.
“The visit takes place essentially to expedite follow up on the understanding reached between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and HRH Mohammad bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during their recent meeting in Makkah Al Mukarramah to enhance bilateral economic cooperation,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“This visit is aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership.”
The Saudi delegation comprises the foreign minister, minister of water and agriculture, minister of industry and mineral resources, deputy minister of investment, and senior officials from the Saudi energy ministry and the Saudi Fund for General Investments, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
The Saudi delegation is expected to hold meetings with the Pakistani president, the prime minister, the foreign minister and counterpart ministers, as well as the army chief and members of the apex committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, set up last year to oversee all foreign investments.
The Saudi government has not yet commented on the visit or its agenda.
Cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up its foreign reserves and signal to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it can continue to meet requirements for foreign financing that has been a key demand in previous bailout packages.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Saudi Arabia has also often come to cash-strapped Pakistan’s aid by regularly providing it oil on deferred payment and offering direct financial support to help stabilize its economy and shore up its forex reserves.
On Sunday, Pakistani state media reported Saudi Arabia was likely to invest $1 billion in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Saudi FM due in Pakistan on official visit today — foreign office
https://arab.news/rd24m
Saudi FM due in Pakistan on official visit today — foreign office
- Visit comes days after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed commitment to expedite $5 billion investment
- Pakistan state media on Sunday said Saudi Arabia would invest $1 billion in Reko Diq mining project
Pakistan embassy, UN Tourism mark International Day of Mountains in Riyadh
- Event highlights Pakistan’s mountain ecosystems, mountaineering heritage, climate risks
- Diplomats, artists and climbers gather to promote sustainable mountain tourism
ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh, in collaboration with the UN Tourism Office, hosted an event this week to mark the United Nations-designated International Day of Mountains, bringing together diplomats, civil society members, mountaineers and artists to spotlight the global and Pakistani significance of mountain ecosystems.
Pakistan is home to some of the world’s largest mountain ranges and glacier systems outside the polar regions, including the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush, which feed major rivers that sustain agriculture, hydropower and drinking water for millions of people. Rising temperatures linked to climate change are accelerating glacial melt, increasing the risk of floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods, while also threatening long-term water security as ice reserves shrink.
These changes are already affecting mountain communities whose livelihoods depend on farming, tourism and pastoralism, exposing them to displacement, loss of income and environmental degradation, and amplifying the human and economic costs of extreme weather events across downstream regions.
Held at the UN Tourism Office in Riyadh, Thursday’s event focused on the ecological, cultural and economic importance of mountains, with particular attention to Pakistan’s vast high-altitude landscapes.
The evening opened with a micro-documentary titled Mountains of Pakistan, showcasing the country’s mountain ranges and their ecological value. Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, in his opening remarks, highlighted the essential role mountains play in sustaining water systems, food security and communities, while also drawing attention to the growing threats posed by climate change.
“Mountains are not just landscapes, they are life-giving ecosystems, repositories of culture, and sources of inspiration,” Farooq said. “Tonight, we celebrate not only their beauty but our shared responsibility to protect them for future generations.”
He also referred to challenges facing Pakistan’s mountain regions, including climate-change-driven glacial melt and related environmental risks, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to sustainable mountain development.
The program included remarks by the director of the UN Tourism Office, who underscored the importance of international cooperation in preserving fragile mountain ecosystems. A second micro-documentary, Spirit of Mountaineering, paid tribute to the courage and resilience of Pakistani climbers and their contributions to global mountaineering.
Among the featured speakers was Naila Kiani, a prominent Pakistani mountaineer and environmental advocate, who shared her experiences scaling some of the world’s highest peaks, including K2 and Nanga Parbat. Kiani is the first Pakistani woman and overall third Pakistani to climb 12 of the 14 eight-thousanders.
Ambassador Farrukh Amil, a senior Pakistani career diplomat and former ambassador, spoke about Pakistan’s mountain heritage and ongoing initiatives to promote conservation and eco-tourism, while landscape photographer Awais Ali presented a photographic exhibition capturing the majesty of Pakistan’s northern regions and the lives of their communities.
The event concluded with the formal inauguration of the mountain photography exhibition curated by Ali, offering guests an immersive visual journey through Pakistan’s highlands.
The embassy said the celebration reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to raising global awareness about mountain ecosystems, promoting sustainable tourism and fostering international collaboration to address climate challenges affecting these fragile environments.
