ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Committee on Aug. 7 to discuss Israel’s ongoing war in Palestine, the Pakistani foreign office said.
The meeting was convened on requests by Palestine and Iran to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestine and other regional states. At least 39,550 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli military campaign in Gaza triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.
Upon arrival at the Madinah airport, FM Dar was received by Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq, and Saudi foreign ministry director-general in Madinah, Ibrahim bin Muhammad Saeed Al-Sobhi, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“As one of the staunchest supporters of the Palestinian cause, Pakistan has always been at the forefront in raising its voice at all international fora, including the OIC,” the foreign office said in a statement.
Dar would use the meeting to present Pakistan’s “serious concerns about the dire situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East region,” according to the foreign office.
“He will emphasize the urgency of peace and provision of relief assistance to the people of Gaza,” it said. “On the sidelines, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states.”
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations, the OIC and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza. The South Asian country has also dispatched several aid consignments for the Palestinians.
Pakistani FM arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend special OIC meeting on Palestine
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Pakistani FM arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend special OIC meeting on Palestine
- Meeting convened by State of Palestine and Iran to discuss ‘Israeli aggression against Palestine and other regional states’
- Dar will use OIC meeting to present Pakistan’s ‘serious concerns about dire situation in Gaza and wider Middle East region’
Pakistan invites Saudi investment in motorway project on sidelines of OIC meeting
- Proposed M-10 motorway to link Karachi Port with Hyderabad, says official statement
- Pakistani and Saudi ministers meet in Istanbul, discuss maritime links, connectivity
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited Saudi Arabia to invest in a proposed motorway linking Karachi Port to Hyderabad, according to an official statement issued on Saturday following talks between the two countries on the sidelines of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul.
The meeting between Pakistan’s Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Saudi Minister for Transport and Logistics Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser took place during the OIC gathering, where member states discussed transport integration, logistics and regional trade connectivity.
“During the discussions, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan formally invited the Saudi Government to invest in the M-10 Motorway, featuring a new alignment from Karachi Port to Hyderabad,” the statement said.
“He emphasized that Pakistan is keen on fostering Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with Saudi Arabia to modernize its transport sector,” it added.
The statement said the discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in transport, maritime affairs and regional connectivity, with Islamabad seeking to strengthen trade corridors and upgrade port-linked infrastructure.
Al-Jasser expressed interest in modernizing Pakistan’s communications sector and highlighted the importance of digitalization and road surveillance systems, the statement said, adding that both sides also discussed expanding flight operations between the two countries.
The talks were held amid Pakistan’s push for greater international investment.
The country seeks to position itself as a transregional trade hub and it is working to strengthen its supporting infrastructure, including its southern seaports and road and rail network for the efficient movement of goods.
