ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Saudi Arabia today, Thursday, with a high-level delegation to strengthen trade, investment and bilateral relations with the Kingdom, the foreign office said, and to thank its leadership for de-escalating Pakistan’s military conflict with India.
Pakistan has tried to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) ties with the Kingdom, with both sides announcing during Sharif’s visit to Riyadh last October they had signed 34 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships.
Saudi Arabia played a prominent role in defusing Pakistan’s military conflict with India last month. Both countries had fired missiles, carried out drone strikes, used fighter jets and artillery against each other before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
Pakistan’s foreign office said Sharif will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the Kingdom from June 5-6, which will coincide with the Eid Al-Adha Muslim festival.
“Discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key areas, including trade and investment, the welfare of the Muslim Ummah, and regional peace and security,” the foreign office said.
“The Prime Minister will also express gratitude to the Saudi leadership for its constructive role in de-escalating the recent Pakistan-India conflict.”
The statement said Sharif’s visit reflects deep-rooted ties with Saudi Arabia.
“It reaffirms the leadership’s commitment to deepening economic and diplomatic engagement, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Pakistan’s development priorities,” the foreign office said.
The foreign office said Sharif’s visit is expected to “further solidify” Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations and open new avenues for multifaceted collaboration.
Earlier on Wednesday, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar confirmed Sharif would visit the Kingdom to thank its leadership for its support to Pakistan during the India conflict.
“The prime minister will go tomorrow, and I will also go with him,” Dar told reporters at a news briefing in Islamabad. “We will go there to thank them for their solidarity and support.”
Saudi Arabia presents a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given its strong consumer demand and ambitious Vision 2030 economic reforms that emphasize diversification and foreign investments.
Pakistan has a 2.7 million-strong diaspora in Saudi Arabia, which accounts for the highest remittance inflow, a crucial lifeline for the country’s economy.
