Deputy crown prince visits Pakistan today

RIYADH: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will embark on a several-nation tour, including China and Japan, Sunday, landing first in Pakistan to hold talks with top officials, including Premier Nawaz Sharif.

The visit is significant keeping in view the role of Pakistan, which is seen critical to efforts directed to ensure peace and security in the Middle East and in its extended neighborhood. “A range of subjects including key bilateral and regional issues, will be discussed during the meeting of Prince Mohammed with high-ranking Pakistani officials,” said Pakistani Ambassador Manzoor Ul Haq, while expressing his joy and optimism on the royal visit.
Prince Mohammed will also discuss issues related to mutual cooperation in different sectors, he added. The visit is part of the regular exchange of visits of top Saudi and Pakistani officials. The envoy said that “matters of mutual concerns” will figure on top of the agenda.
Sharif has paid four visits to the Kingdom since January this year. Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain also visited Saudi Arabia last month.
These visits indicate that the Kingdom and Pakistan share common political, strategic and economic objectives.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and have identical viewpoints on major regional and international issues.
On commercial front, the two countries have forged closer ties.
The investors’ confidence in the Pakistani economy is manifested in the recently concluded Pak-China Economic Corridor agreement that is poised to bring $46 billion investment in that country.
About two million Pakistani expatriates live and work in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan hold its defense ties with Saudi Arabia in highest esteem, and it attaches great importance to the security of the Kingdom and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.