ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili conferred the prestigious King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class) on top Pakistani general Sahir Shamshad Mirza this week in recognition of his efforts to promote bilateral cooperation and bilateral ties, the Saudi Press Agency said. 

Mirza, who serves as Pakistan’s chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC), met Al-Ruwaili in Riyadh on Sunday. The two military leaders discussed the evolving global and regional environment, as well as avenues for enhancing bilateral defense cooperation, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

“In implementation of the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is the Supreme Commander of All Military Forces, Chairman of the General Staff General Fayyad Al-Ruwaili decorated Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad, with the King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class) in Riyadh,” the SPA said in a report on Sunday. 

The SPA said the award recognizes Mirza’s efforts to strengthen friendship, promote cooperation and advance Saudi-Pakistani relations. Several senior officers and officials from both sides attended the meeting and the decoration ceremony, it added. 

Radio Pakistan separately reported that both military leaders reaffirmed their resolve to further deepen their strong brotherly ties and defense partnership during the meeting. 

The Saudi military leadership lauded the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the “fight against terrorism,” Radio Pakistan said.       
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have sought closer defense and economic ties in recent months, with both nations signing a landmark defense agreement in September. 

The Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement was signed during Sharif’s visit to Riyadh. The pact stipulates that aggression against one would be treated as an attack on both. The accord was widely viewed as a move to formalize longstanding military cooperation into a binding security commitment aimed at bolstering joint deterrence.