PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir to visit Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, alongside Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, will undertake a visit to Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday.

In a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the two will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia after concluding a visit to Jordan.

“During the visit, the prime minister will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and discussions will focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relationship and exchange views on areas of regional and international developments of mutual interests,” he said.

He stressed that the visit marked Pakistan’s “long-standing partnership” with Saudi Arabia, which he said was “anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood”.

Andrabi noted that while the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, he said that “it will carry immense significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations”.

He added that the visit will “further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation”.

Shortly after, an official statement regarding the visit was also issued.

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