Saudi ties ‘vital pillar’ of Pakistani foreign policy, PM tells Shura Council chairman

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday evening met the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Shura council and reiterated that Islamabad’s longstanding ties with Riyadh were a “vital pillar” of its foreign policy as it sought to expand economic cooperation.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are longtime allies, and Islamabad has been seeking ever closer economic, defense and security ties with the Kingdom, which is home to approximately 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates and the second largest source of remittances for the cash-strapped South Asian nation. Saudi Arabia has come to the rescue of Pakistan’s ailing economy multiple times in the past through loans, debt rollovers, oil on deferred payments and investment deals. This year, the two countries signed several memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion in multiple sectors.

“Our enduring ties with Saudi Arabia are a vital pillar of our foreign policy,” Sharif said during a meeting in Islamabad with Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, who heads the Saudi legislative body that advises the king and his regulatory authority.

“We are actively working to expand our economic and financial relations with the Kingdom.”

The Pakistani PM congratulated Saudi Arabia for securing the hosting rights of the FIFA World Cup 2034 and praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership in amplifying demands for peace in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Pakistan will continue to fully support all efforts to address the suffering of the people of Gaza and Lebanon and to combat human rights violations,” Sharif added.