ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami, formally assumed his diplomatic duties on Wednesday after presenting his credentials to President Asif Ali Zardari, pledging to further strengthen strategic ties between the two countries, the Saudi embassy said.

His appointment comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintaining close diplomatic and security cooperation amid the regional conflict and recent Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.

“Dr. Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami presented his diplomatic credentials to President Asif Ali Zardari as the ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Pakistan and formally assumed his responsibilities as the Kingdom’s ambassador,” the Saudi embassy said in a statement posted on X.

“The esteemed ambassador thanked the president for Pakistan’s positive and brotherly stance toward Saudi Arabia and reiterated his firm commitment to further strengthening the deep, strong and strategic relations between the two brotherly countries in all fields,” it added.

The new envoy conveyed greetings and good wishes from King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Zardari, along with a message of continued progress and prosperity for Pakistan’s government and people.

Zardari reciprocated the Saudi leadership’s sentiments and reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding support for the Kingdom, according to the embassy.

He said Pakistan’s government and people would always stand with their Saudi brothers, and congratulated Al-Baqami on assuming his new responsibilities.

Al-Baqami succeeds Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, who concluded a nearly nine-year tenure as Saudi ambassador to Pakistan earlier this year. A retired major general, the new envoy holds a doctorate in human resource management from Brunel University London and was among eight Saudi ambassadors sworn in before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in July.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained longstanding political, economic and military ties, with Riyadh providing financial support to Islamabad during periods of economic difficulty and pledging billions of dollars in investment.

Their security relationship has also expanded through defense cooperation agreements, including a bilateral pact signed last year and a trilateral agreement with Türkiye signed in Makkah in August.