KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that Pakistan values its deep-rooted ties and strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, his office said, in a farewell meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki.
Al-Malki called on Zardari in Islamabad for farewell visit to mark the conclusion of his nine-year tenure. A rear admiral in the Royal Saudi Navy, Al-Malki was appointed the Kingdom’s military attaché in Islamabad in 2014 and retired from the navy to take up the post of ambassador to Pakistan in 2017.
He will be succeeded by Dr. Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami, who was among eight newly appointed Saudi envoys sworn in before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in July, according to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The president said Pakistan deeply values its time-tested friendship and strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia and appreciated the Kingdom’s steadfast support for Pakistan,” a statement from Zardari’s office said.
“He also expressed confidence that the strong foundation laid during Ambassador Nawaf’s tenure would continue to guide bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.”
Zardari said Al-Malki played an important role in advancing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, particularly in the political, economic and trade spheres.
Al-Malki’s tenure coincided with repeated Saudi deposits in Pakistan’s central bank to support foreign exchange reserves during balance-of-payments pressures, continued oil supplies on deferred payment and growing Saudi investment commitments.
The relationship took on a more formal security dimension last September when Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, under which aggression against either country is treated as an attack on both.
Both countries solidified their defense cooperation earlier this month when they signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement with Türkiye. The trilateral pact stipulates that an attack on any of the three nations will be considered an attack against all three.
Al-Malki thanked Zardari, Pakistan’s government and its people for the cooperation extended to him during his stay in the country.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have grown closer and sought to enhance their business, trade and investment ties over the years. In 2024, Pakistani and Saudi businesses signed 34 memoranda of understanding worth $2.8 billion across multiple sectors to strengthen trade and business relations.
The two countries also agreed to an economic cooperation framework in October 2025 during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, with the goal to strengthen trade and investment ties.
