Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss security cooperation, legal status for Rohingya Muslims in Kingdom

In a screengrab taken from a video shared by Government of Pakistan on November 25, 2025, Pakistan's Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi (left) in conversation with Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Government of Pakistan)
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Updated 25 November 2025
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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss security cooperation, legal status for Rohingya Muslims in Kingdom

  • Pakistani interior minister meets Saudi counterpart to strengthen policing and security ties
  • Both sides agree to launch training exchanges, hold next working group meeting in December

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held talks with Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Riyadh on Tuesday, with discussions focused on security cooperation, police training exchanges and resolving the long-standing legal status of Rohingya Muslims living in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia hosts a large Pakistani diaspora and remains one of Pakistan’s closest security partners. The two countries routinely cooperate on counterterrorism, policing and law enforcement, while Pakistan has long advocated for regularizing the legal status of Rohingya Muslims who migrated to the Kingdom decades ago.

“Talks were also held regarding resolving the long-standing issue of the legal status of Rohingya Muslims,” the Pakistani interior ministry said in a statement. 

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed security cooperation and agreed to establish training exchange programs for police and paramilitary forces. They also decided that the Pakistan–Saudi Interior Ministries Working Group will convene its next session next month.

The Saudi interior minister, according to the statement, thanked Naqvi for Pakistan’s role in efforts related to the legal status of Rohingya Muslims and conveyed condolences over Monday’s suicide attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar in which three personnel were killed. 

General Fayyadh bin Hameed Al-Rowaili, Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the Saudi armed forces, also visited Pakistan this week and held separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.


Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

Updated 05 December 2025
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Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

  • FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
  • Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.

Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.

“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.

Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.

“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.

He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.

“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.

“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”

Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.

On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.

“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.