ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to expand cooperation in television, entertainment and digital media, Pakistan’s information minister said on Tuesday, as the longtime allies look to deepen cultural exchanges alongside their close defense and economic ties.

The discussions build on previous plans to introduce Pakistani television dramas to Saudi audiences and develop joint productions, reflecting efforts to broaden cooperation between two countries with longstanding diplomatic, security and people-to-people ties.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the understanding after meeting Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador, Dr. Rajeh Tami Albugamy, in Islamabad.

“I hope our dramas, art and artists will bring the people of both countries even closer, and that future generations will carry this friendship forward,” the minister said in a post on X.

A separate account of the meeting carried by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said Tarar proposed introducing Pakistani television dramas to Saudi audiences and exchanging delegations of writers, musicians, artists, journalists and digital content creators.

The minister also called for closer cooperation on factchecking and combating misinformation, proposing a joint working group of officials and technical experts from both countries.

The proposals follow earlier initiatives to strengthen cultural cooperation between Islamabad and Riyadh.

In 2020, Pakistan announced plans to export television dramas to Saudi Arabia, with three popular series — Dhoop Kinare, Tanhaiyan and Aahat — selected for dubbing.

In February 2025, Tarar and his Saudi counterpart, Salman Al-Dossary, agreed during a meeting in Riyadh to establish a joint committee for producing films, songs and documentaries, alongside cooperation in journalist exchanges and professional training.

The latest meeting comes after Albugamy assumed his diplomatic responsibilities in Islamabad, succeeding Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki.

“Pakistani dramas reflect family values, Eastern traditions and Islamic culture,” Tarar told the Saudi envoy, according to Radio Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s closest diplomatic and defense partners and hosts a large Pakistani expatriate community whose remittances are a major source of foreign exchange for Islamabad.