Live: Pak Saudi Ties

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, terming it an “important strategic step”.

The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers the three states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.

In a statement posted on X, OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed his “strong appreciation and support” for the agreement, describing it as an “important strategic step” that reflected the three countries’ commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation.

Taha said the agreement constitutes “a fundamental pillar for supporting security and stability in the region and across the Muslim world”.

He added that it embodies a “shared resolve to address growing security challenges and strengthen solidarity and constructive partnerships” among the OIC member states.

The OIC is the second largest organisation after the United Nations, with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye among its 57 members.

The OIC chief also praised the “tireless efforts and wise leadership” of the three countries that culminated in the signing of the “historic agreement”.

He expressed hope that the pact would contribute to achieving peace and prosperity in the region and the wider international community.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed on Friday at a trilateral summit in Makkah, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact during the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence”.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh last September, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly has said the new tripartite agreement “does not supersede or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries”.

Meanwhile, the Turkish president said the pact targets no country and remains open to participation of other friendly nations seeking peace.

PM Shehbaz undertook a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8, while Erdogan made a one-day trip to attend the summit.

On Saturday morning, the prime minister paid a visit to Masjid-i-Nabvi in Madina.

He then departed for Pakistan from the Madina airport, where he was seen off by Madina Governor Prince Salman bin Sultan Al Saud.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, also a former foreign minister, hailed the agreement as a “significant milestone” in the country’s history.

In a post on X, he noted that the pact was a “historic development that will further strengthen our defence capabilities”.

“This agreement is not only a guarantee of a stable and secure future for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, but also a historic document for regional and global peace,” he emphasised.

The PPP chairman also praised the roles of PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir “in making the agreement possible”.

Bahrain, Somalia welcome pact

In a statement issued by its foreign ministry, Bahrain welcomed the agreement as a “key addition to the broader regional defence architecture”.

Bahrain said it viewed the pact as a “strategic partnership between equal partners, driven by a shared commitment to safeguard regional and global stability while bolstering credible deterrence”.

The foreign ministry “highlighted the formidable defence capabilities and military expertise of the three nations, noting their proven track record in serving regional security, stability, and honouring international commitments”.

The pact “complements and enhances the collective defence systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) through solidarity and strategic integration”, Bahrain noted.

“Reaffirming that Saudi Arabia’s security is integral to its own, Bahrain expressed full support for all initiatives that protect national sovereignty, safeguard territorial integrity, and advance political solutions to regional issues,” the statement read.

Somalia, whose defence minister paid a visit to Pakistan earlier this week, also congratulated the three signatories.

In a statement, Somalia’s defence ministry termed the signing “a historic milestone in strengthening collective security, advancing defence cooperation, and building a strategic partnership capable of addressing shared security challenges”.

The ministry expressed confidence that the agreement “will make a significant contribution to enhancing regional peace and stability”.

While the signing of the agreement comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East arising from the US-Israel war on Iran, the pact was under deliberation months before the conflict began.

The three countries, along with Egypt, have been closely involved in efforts to promote regional stability and contain the regional upheaval sparked by the US-Iran war.

• MBS, Shehbaz, Erdogan sign Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to boost ‘collective deterrence against any aggression’
• PM hopes accord will serve as ‘shield of peace’; Erdogan says alliance is open to other friendly nations • Saudi minister insists new bloc no threat to ‘any country’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a joint defence pact in the holy city of Makkah, which empowers member states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which seeks to strengthen the collective security of the three states, was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and PM Mohammad bin Salman, and Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Al-Safa Palace.

The signing of the agreement was announced by three countries through a joint statement, which was published by Pakis­tan’s Foreign Office (FO) and Saudi Arabia’s official SPA press agency.

It said the pact reflected the three countries’ “shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”.

“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”

It also “provides for the enha­ncement of all aspects of defence cooperation” among the three countries, the statement added.

The agreement is “guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation”.

During the Makkah Summit for Joint Defence, the “distinguished relations” between the three countries were reviewed, “along with a number of issues of mutual interest”, the statement noted.

From Pakistan’s side, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.

The defence and foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkiye were in attendance as well.

Following the formal signing of the pact, photos released by Saudi media showed the world leaders offering prayers at the Al-Safa Palace, overlooking the Holy Ka’aba.

‘Shield of peace’

PM Shehbaz Sharif described the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as a “historic pact”, saying the three countries were united by faith, friendship and a shared commitment to peace and security.

In a post on X, the prime minister said he was honoured to sign the agreement alongside the Saudi crown prince and the Turkish president.

He said the pact would serve as a “shield of peace” for generations and expressed hope that it would bring prosperity to the three countries and the wider Muslim world. Shehbaz also appreciated Field Marshal Asim Munir’s efforts and dedication towards the agreement.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said that the signing of the joint defence agreement by the crown prince, the president of Türkiye and the prime minister of Pakistan underscored the depth of the fraternal and strategic relations between the three countries.

He said the agreement marked an important milestone in their defence cooperation and reflected their shared desire to coordinate efforts to address challenges and threats affecting regional security and stability. He added that the pact embodied the three countries’ shared political will to safeguard security, support a more secure regional environment and pave the way for greater development and prosperity.

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said the agreement “does not represent an effort to establish a military axis or a sectarian bloc”. “Nor is it linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race; rather, it is focused on building sustainable capabilities,” he wrote on X.

He noted that the deal “does not constitute a threat to the security of any country in the region, nor does it represent an escalation of tensions between any two states”. The Saudi official further said the agreement “does not supersede or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries”.

‘Open to other nations’

Turkish President Erdogan also reiterated this sentiment, saying that the pact targets no country and remains open to participation of other friendly nations seeking peace, prosperity and stability in the region.

In a post on the Turkish social platform NSosyal, Erdogan said on Friday the agreement, based on the principle of collective deterrence, would strengthen security and defence cooperation, joint defence industry projects and counterterrorism efforts. He said the agreement also reaffirms the right to self-defence as defined under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

“The agreement does not target any country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability in our region,” Erdogan said.

Türkiye, he added, would firmly maintain its principled stance in favour of resolving conflicts and crises through dialogue and diplomacy, based on respect for international law and in line with its vision of regional ownership.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2026

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye may on the face of it appear to be a creation of an Islamic equivalent of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

It plainly is not, but reflects a gradual, yet unmistakable, reordering of the Gulf’s security architecture at a time when confidence in traditional security arrangements is under unprecedented strain.

For decades, the Gulf’s security rested upon an uncomplicated bargain under which the United States guaranteed regional stability, safeguarded maritime trade and energy infrastructure, and in return retained an unrivalled strategic presence across the region. Though that arrangement has not disappeared, repeated crises over the past few years have exposed its growing limitations.

The inability of that arrangement — which emerged after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait — to deter attacks on energy facilities, repeated disruptions to commercial navigation, uncertainty generated by Washington’s changing regional priorities, and the prolonged confrontation with Iran have collectively persuaded Gulf capitals that they now require additional security beyond exclusively relying on the US.

The Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye mutual defence pact should therefore not be seen as an attempt to replace the American security umbrella; rather, it should be taken as an effort to supplement it with a regional mechanism comprising countries that already had longstanding military relationships, institutional familiarity and considerable political trust.

That is an important factor to consider because the newly signed agreement is fundamentally defensive, and neither creates a military bloc nor establishes a permanent integrated command.

What the three countries are instead aiming to do is to institutionalise mutual defence planning, intelligence cooperation, joint training, interoperability and coordinated responses to common security threats while retaining each participant’s sovereign control over decisions involving the use of force.

The pact has not emerged accidentally. Rather, it follows months of heightened regional instability that witnessed the Iran-US-Israel war, repeated disruptions to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attempts to blockade commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, and growing concerns among Gulf states about the vulnerability of maritime energy routes.

The recent Saudi initiative to establish a multinational maritime coalition also reflected the same strategic thinking. In that context, the defence pact signed today merely represents the broader political and military expression of that evolving security architecture.

Although it is formally a trilateral agreement, practically, it is not a partnership of equals in terms of what each member contributes.

Saudi Arabia brings to the table the geography, financial resources and the strategic requirement that necessitated such an arrangement. As the country with the world’s largest oil export infrastructure and also one of the principal targets of missile, drone and maritime attacks in recent years — not just during the Iran-US-Israel conflict — the Kingdom possesses perhaps the greatest incentive to strengthen collective defence. Riyadh, moreover, provides the political centre of gravity around which much of the emerging Gulf security framework is being constructed.

Pakistan contributes something different, being the country with one of the Muslim world’s largest and experienced militaries, considerable expertise in conventional warfare, counter-terrorism, strategic deterrence and operational planning, together with decades of defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Pakistani armed forces have repeatedly participated in the Kingdom’s defence structure, while the navy has gained significant experience through multinational maritime operations and protection of sea lines of communication.

Pakistan’s strategic relevance also derives from geography: even though it is not a Gulf littoral state, it still overlooks the Arabian Sea approaches through which much of the Gulf’s maritime traffic eventually passes, making maritime stability directly linked to its own economic and energy security.

The new trilateral pact does not supersede the bilateral Pakistan-KSA Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed last year; rather, it builds upon it. The bilateral agreement is likely to remain the cornerstone of defence ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, particularly in terms of institutional mechanisms for security cooperation. However, by incorporating Türkiye, the new framework expands cooperation into a broader strategic arrangement, adding capabilities that a bilateral partnership could not have provided. Therefore, the trilateral pact can be seen as an evolution of the existing architecture rather than the creation of an entirely new one.

Türkiye brings with it capabilities that neither of the other two partners possesses in equal measure. Its defence industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing in the world, producing advanced unmanned systems, precision guided munitions, naval platforms, electronic warfare capabilities and increasingly sophisticated aerospace technologies.

Furthermore, Turkish forces have accumulated operational experience across multiple theatres, while Ankara’s expanding defence exports make it an important military supplier across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. The Turkish inclusion would therefore give the pact an important technological dimension alongside conventional military capability.

Whether the agreement materially alters the regional military balance is another matter. For now, it looks like this pact won’t shift the balance of power. Iran retains significant missile capabilities, a large inventory of drones, extensive proxy networks and considerable leverage over the Strait of Hormuz through geography alone.

Predictably, the agreement has also prompted questions about whether closer defence cooperation among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye could eventually evolve into a military axis with wider strategic — including nuclear — implications, particularly given Pakistan’s status as a nuclear weapons state. Riyadh has sought to pre-empt such speculation, stressing that the pact neither seeks to create a military or sectarian bloc nor reflects any ambition to pursue nuclear capabilities or an arms race.

It has further emphasised that the arrangement neither threatens the security of any regional state nor diminishes Saudi Arabia’s existing strategic partnerships with the Gulf countries, the Arab world, the United States and other international partners. These assurances appear intended as much for Tehran and Israel as for Washington, signalling that the agreement is conceived as a defensive mechanism to strengthen regional security rather than alter the region’s strategic balance.

Israel, meanwhile, continues to enjoy overwhelming qualitative military superiority backed by US.

At the same time, American military infrastructure across the Gulf remains unmatched in both scale and sophistication. This suggests that the trilateral arrangement would not create an alternative strategic pole capable of independently reshaping the regional balance of power.

That said, the pact isn’t without significance. Its value in fact lies in changing calculations at the margins, as any actor contemplating coercive military action against one member must now factor into its assessment the possibility, even if undefined, of coordinated political, military or logistical support from the others. That’s why strategic ambiguity, carefully inserted within mutual defence arrangements, is often more useful than detailed operational commitments: because it complicates an adversary’s planning without unnecessarily constraining allies.

The principal beneficiary of the arrangement is therefore Saudi Arabia, which acquires an additional layer of deterrence precisely when its energy infrastructure, maritime commerce and broader economic transformation under Vision 2030 depend upon sustained regional stability. Moreover, diversifying security partnerships also enhances Riyadh’s strategic autonomy.

Pakistan benefits from the arrangement by consolidating its position as a central security partner for the Gulf at a time when Islamabad has simultaneously emerged as a diplomatic actor following its role in facilitating dialogue during the Iran-US crisis. This would reinforce Pakistan’s strategic relevance beyond South Asia, strengthens military diplomacy with key Gulf partners and potentially expands opportunities for defence exports, joint production, intelligence cooperation and military modernisation.

This also has significant economic implications for the country, which relies on Gulf region for its oil supplies, but also economic assistance, investments and trade. The agreement, meanwhile, enables Türkiye to extend both its strategic influence and defence industrial footprint.

Beyond the immediate benefits accruing to each member, the agreement merits attention as a serious attempt by three influential Muslim countries to assume greater ownership of regional security and gradually move away from an architecture that has traditionally depended upon external powers. Whether that ambition translates into a meaningful strategic framework, however, will depend less upon the treaty itself than upon the willingness of its members to institutionalise enduring military cooperation and convert political intent into operational reality.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a joint defence pact in Makkah that empowers member states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which seeks to strengthen the collective security of the three states, was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and PM Mohammad bin Salman, and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence” held at Al-Safa Palace.

The three countries announced the signing of the agreement in a joint statement published by the Foreign Office (FO) and Saudi Arabia’s official SPA press agency.

The statement said the pact reflected the three countries’ “shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”.

“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”

It also “provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation” among the three countries, the statement added.

The agreement is “guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation”.

During the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, the “distinguished relations” between the three countries were reviewed, “along with a number of issues of mutual interest”, the statement noted.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.

The defence and foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkiye were in attendance as well, pictures showed.

Sealing the agreement in Makkah, the holiest site in Islam, adds symbolic heft to a pact that builds on longstanding bilateral military ties among the three countries.

The agreement ties together Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country; Saudi Arabia, the home to Islam’s holiest sites and one of the world’s top oil exporters; and Turkiye, Nato’s second-largest military.

‘Shield of peace’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as a “historic pact”, saying the three countries were united by faith, friendship and a shared commitment to peace and security.

In a post on X, the prime minister said he was honoured to sign the agreement alongside the Saudi crown prince and the Turkish president.

He said the pact would serve as a “shield of peace” for generations and expressed hope that it would bring prosperity to the three countries and the wider Muslim world. Shehbaz also appreciated Field Marshal Asim Munir’s efforts and dedication towards the agreement.

‘Historic day for Pakistan’

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, while talking to a private TV channel, described the signing of the joint defence agreement between the three states as a “historic day” for Pakistan, saying the pact reflected growing recognition of the country’s defence capabilities and strengthened ties among the three nations.

Speaking about the agreement, Tarar said the defence cooperation framework would take relations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to a new level. He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir with bringing the three countries together, saying they had an “ideal working relationship” and that their teamwork had contributed to recent successes.

Tarar said the agreement was aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and served as a form of deterrence rather than aggression. The minister further said Pakistan’s capabilities had been demonstrated during last year’s conflict with India and claimed that the country had since played a role in promoting regional peace.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said that the signing of the joint defence agreement by the crown prince, the president of Türkiye and the prime minister of Pakistan underscored the depth of the fraternal and strategic relations between the three countries.

He said the agreement marked an important milestone in their defence cooperation and reflected their shared desire to coordinate efforts to address challenges and threats affecting regional security and stability. He added that the pact embodied the three countries’ shared political will to safeguard security, support a more secure regional environment and pave the way for greater development and prosperity.

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said the agreement “does not represent an effort to establish a military axis or a sectarian bloc”.

“Nor is it linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race; rather, it is focused on building sustainable capabilities,” he wrote on X.

He noted that the deal “does not constitute a threat to the security of any country in the region, nor does it represent an escalation of tensions between any two states”.

The Saudi official further said the agreement “does not supersede or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries”.

Mansoor Ahmed, of the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, said Islamabad and Ankara bring strong defence industries to the table, while Riyadh could contribute with technological spending.

While the pact comes in the backdrop of the US-Israel war on Iran, Bloomberg had reported in January — before the conflict began — that Ankara was seeking to join a separate mutual defence pact between Islamabad and Riyadh.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh last September, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

In January, Reuters quoted Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj as saying that a draft had been prepared after 10 months of talks. Turkish FM Hakan Fidan had said Ankara favoured an “inclusive platform that creates wider, bigger cooperation and stability”.

Pakistan has also sought to mediate efforts to end the US-Iran war, while Turkiye has played a diplomatic role in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

The three countries, along with Egypt, have been closely involved in efforts to promote regional stability and contain the regional upheaval sparked by the US-Iran war.

The regional conflagration has rained missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters, with Iran targeting Gulf countries in retaliation for attacks carried out against it using US military bases in the region.

The deal also comes as a 2022 truce between Riyadh and the Houthi rebels in Yemen has broken down.

After the two sides traded fire for the first time in years last month, Houthis declared a maritime blockade against the kingdom, threatening access to its ports, and has claimed to have attacked Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.

Pakistan had condemned the Houthis’ threats to Saudi Arabia and to trading with the kingdom via the Red Sea. It also warned that it had the right to self-defence if its “maritime interests” were targeted in “any hostile act”.

As the conflict expanded onto new fronts, Saudi Arabia last week unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, have voiced support for the coalition.

Saudi crown prince meets PM Shehbaz, Erdogan

Crown Prince Salman held separate meetings with PM Shehbaz and President Erdogan at the Al-Safa Palace earlier in the day.

DPM Dar, CDF Munir and Asif were also present in the meeting with PM Shehbaz, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

Meanwhile, Erdogan’s office confirmed on X that he also held a meeting with Crown Prince Salman.

PM Shehbaz arrived in Saudi Arabia on a three-day visit on Thursday, while the Turkish president undertook a one-day visit today, Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdogan landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, from where he departed for Makkah by road, the Turkish news outlet reported.

PM Shehbaz had landed in Jeddah on Thursday. CDF Munir later joined the Pakistani delegation, which also included Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi.

On Friday morning, the delegation visited the Holy Kaaba and performed Umrah, the PMO said. PM Shehbaz is also expected to visit Masjid-i-Nabvi (PBUH) in Madina.

According to an earlier statement by the FO, discussions between the two sides were to “focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relations as well as exchange of views on regional and international developments of mutual interests”.

The FO had noted that although the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, it carries “significance beyond the immediate crises and short-term considerations”.

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

“The visit marks Pakistan’s long-standing partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood,” the FO had emphasised.

Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Turkiye and Pakistan have exchanged warships and training aircraft.

In 2023, Riyadh agreed to buy Turkish drones in what Ankara called its largest defence export contract. In April this year, Saudi Arabia said it received a military force and fighter jets from Pakistan to boost the kingdom’s security.

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Additional input from AFP and Reuters

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday evening for a three-day visit.

Apart from CDF Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are also accompanying the premier on the visit.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia after concluding a visit to Jordan, will be part of the delegation as well.

In a post on X, the government said the premier landed in Jeddah and was received by Deputy Governor of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz at the airport.

Saudi Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Environment Engineer Abdulrahman and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq were also among the officials present to greet PM Shehbaz.

The premier will also perform Umrah and visit Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque in Madina during the visit, the government said.

Earlier, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi announced the visit in a weekly briefing.

“During the visit, the prime minister will meet the 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.

The premier had last visited Saudi Arabia in April, meeting with the kingdom’s top leadership.

As the Middle East conflict has expanded across new fronts, Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, have voiced support for the coalition.

In July, Pakistan also endorsed Saudi Arabia’s air strikes in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defence. The remarks came two days after Saudi Arabia and the US carried out coordinated strikes against installations of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Units, accusing elements within the umbrella force of launching attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

The remarks followed Pakistan’s earlier warning after Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade targeting shipping linked to Saudi Arabia. Islamabad had then described attacks on Pakistani maritime interests as a “red line”, warning that any hostile action against Pakistani-flagged vessels or commercial shipping would be treated as an attack on Pakistan.

The country also simultaneously reaffirmed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

Last year, Islamabad and Riyadh concluded a Strategic Mutual Defence Agree­ment, which became operational earlier this year as Pakistan simultaneously embarked on a diplomatic effort to mediate between Iran and the United States.

• Condemns attacks by non-state actors against kingdom
• Stresses Islamabad will honour defence commitments with Gulf partners
• Insists defence agreements don’t undermine Pakistan’s role as mediator
• India to be invited to SCO summit in Pakistan next year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday endorsed Saudi Arabia’s air strikes in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defence, while reaffirming that it would honour all defence commitments undertaken with its Gulf partners. The country also insisted that those arrangements did not diminish Islamabad’s role as a mediator in the Iran-US conflict.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and we respect that right,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at the weekly media briefing.

The remarks came two days after Saudi Arabia and the United States carried out coordinated strikes against installations of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Units, accusing elements within the umbrella force of launching attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Referring to the regional situation, Mr Andrabi said: “The developments in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea are worrying. The attacks, particularly by non-state actors against Saudi Arabia, are utterly condemnable.”

The latest remarks build on Pakistan’s warning issued last week after Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade targeting shipping linked to Saudi Arabia.

Islamabad had then described attacks on Pakistani maritime interests as a “red line”, warning that any hostile action against Pakistani-flagged vessels or commercial shipping would be treated as an attack on Pakistan. The country also simultaneously reaffirmed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

Last year, Islamabad and Riyadh concluded a Strategic Mutual Defence Agree­ment, which became operational earlier this year as Pakistan simultaneously embarked on a diplomatic effort to mediate between Iran and the United States.

More recently, Kuwait ratified a separate Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2023, while Islamabad also maintains defence cooperation arrangements with Bahrain and Jordan.

Asked whether the agreement with Ku­­w­ait carried obligations similar to the Stra­tegic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, Mr Andrabi replied: “Obviously, it is not similar in a sense that one is called the strategic mutual defence, and the other def­ence cooperation agreement. So, the name is self-explanatory.” He also hinted that Pakistan’s defence ties with Bahrain and Jordan could evolve further.

“As regards Jordan and Bahrain, we have robust defence cooperation with these countries. If tomorrow there is a need to formalise it in a new agreement of defence cooperation, you will be informed about it in due course,” he said.

Reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to its regional security partnerships, Mr Andrabi said: “We will implement all our defence cooperation agreements, not just with Saudi Arabia, but with all our Gulf partners. We will fulfil all our obligations.”

He, however, drew an important distinction regarding the scope of those arrangements. “The substance of this agreement is geared towards peacetime cooperation. When war takes place, obviously the two sides see how far these agreements are to be implemented,” he said.

Despite Pakistan’s growing network of defence agreements in the Gulf, Mr Andrabi maintained that they did not conflict with Islamabad’s continuing diplomatic engagement aimed at reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

“Amid the prevailing tensions and hostilities, Pakistan reiterates that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward,” he said. He said Pakistan remained actively engaged with regional and international stakeholders and continued to encourage both sides to return to the framework established under the Islamabad MoU.

“Pakistan is engaged and will continue to play its role. The negotiations are ongoing to normalise the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and de-escalate. We are doing our utmost to bring both parties back to Islamabad MoU so that all irritants can be removed in the light of its spirit. We are hopeful for de-escalation and peaceful settlement of the issue,” he said.

He added that Pakistan continued to urge both sides “to exercise maximum restraint and fully adhere to their commitments to resume technical-level talks for the implementation of the Islamabad MoU, in line with the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Statement of 21 June 2026”.

Rejecting suggestions that Pakistan’s defence commitments could undermine its credibility as a mediator, Mr Andrabi said: “Our role as mediator is not compromised by the fact that we have defence agreement. The defence agreement in no way cuts down our role as mediator. The two operate in their own streams. I think you should have enough confidence in Pakistani institutions to take into account all these nuances.”

India to be invited to SCO summit

The FO also said India would be invited to the SCO Heads of State Summit, which Pakistan will host next year, describing the invitation as an obligation of the host country under the bloc’s established procedures.

“As regards the SCO Summit, yes, all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will be invited at the level of the heads of state or government,” Mr Andrabi said while responding to a question about inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the event.

“This is an obligation on the part of Pakistan as the host. We will invite all heads of state and government to the summit meeting,” he added, noting that invitations would be issued in accordance with SCO procedures.

Pakistan will assume the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State after this year’s summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Islamabad previously hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in October 2024. Mr Modi was invited to that event but did not attend and was instead represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Separately, Mr Andrabi confirmed that Pakistan and India had recently exchanged assignment visas for diplomatic personnel posted to their respective high commissions, but he downplayed any suggestion that the move reflected an improvement in bilateral relations. “This was an administrative arrangement to facilitate the routine posting and transfer of officers from capitals to the high commissions,” he said.

The reciprocal issuance of visas enables a new batch of diplomatic officials to assume assignments at the two missions, which have been operating with sharply reduced staff since the military confrontation between the two countries in May 2025.

Both high commissions continue to function under chargés d’affaires following the downgrading of diplomatic ties.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Such actions are unacceptable, violate international law, threaten freedom of navigation and undermine regional peace and security,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on the social media platform X.

Hostilities in the Middle East flared on Thursday as Yemen’s Houthis said that they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in a military operation. A Saudi news agency confirmed one of the two vessels was ablaze after an assault while sailing in the Red Sea.

In his post on X, PM Shehbaz said that he reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia during the call with the crown prince.

The premier said he conveyed that he, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the nation “stand firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and the brotherly people of the kingdom at this critical time”.

PM Shehbaz said that the two agreed to “continue working very closely to maintain regional peace, security, stability, and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea as well as the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region”.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) described the conversation between the two as “most cordial”. It added that the Saudi crown prince appreciated “Pakistan’s steadfast support and the close fraternal ties between the two countries”.

The conversation comes a day after Pakistan condemned continued threats by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, warning that it had the right to take all necessary measures in self-defence if its “maritime interests” were targeted in “any hostile act”.

The warning had come after the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints, in retaliation for what they described as the longstanding Saudi blockade of Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa airport.

The Bab al-Mandeb strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is a critical artery for Pakistan’s trade and energy supplies. A significant share of the country’s oil imports transits the Red Sea route, although no Pakistani vessels have so far been reported stopped or targeted.

Pakistan’s statement on Wednesday was by far the strongest issued by any non-Arab country on the Houthi threats.

Unlike most countries, which have confined themselves to expressing concern over freedom of navigation, Islamabad explicitly warned that any hostile act against Pakistani vessels could invite a response in self-defence.

The unusually forceful response also marks Pakistan’s strongest public warning to the Houthis since the group began attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea in late 2023.

It also comes less than a year after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025, under which aggression against one country is regarded as aggression against the other.

Pakistan on Wednesday condemned the Houthis’ recent threats to Saudi Arabia and to trading with the kingdom via the Red Sea, warning that it had the right to self-defence if its “maritime interests” were targeted in “any hostile act”.

Islamabad’s statement comes after Yemen’s Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, announced an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the Middle East conflict.

The naval blockade, if enforced, could cut off access to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports, which have been vital for oil exports as renewed US-Iran fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Threats against commercial shipping and trading with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are unacceptable and violate established principles of international law,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on Wednesday, denouncing the “continued threats” by Houthis.

Islamabad said it was “particularly concerned by reports of threats directed against vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade” with Saudi Arabia.

“Such actions threaten regional security, undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order and jeopardise uninterrupted flow of global commerce,” the FO highlighted.

Furthermore, it declared that “any hostile act against Pakistani-flagged vessels or Pakistani maritime interests will be regarded as a grave threat to Pakistan’s national security and sovereign interests”.

The FO warned that Pakistan reserved its right to “take all necessary measures, including lawful use of force, in the exercise of self-defence to protect its maritime assets and national interests”, consistent with the United Nations Charter and international law.

Pakistan also said it was “deeply concerned over attempts to drag” Saudi Arabia into the Middle East conflict, as fighting continues between the United States and Iran, which in turn has targeted American military sites in some Gulf countries.

Islamabad reiterated its “unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

“While remaining steadfast in its commitment to dialogue, diplomacy and regional de-escalation, Pakistan calls upon all parties to respect international law and ensure the safety and security of international maritime shipping,” the FO statement affirmed.

The FO also shared an Arabic version of the statement on its X account.

Houthis’ Monday announcement came after the group and Saudi Arabia traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring.

After Houthi fired missiles at Saudi Arabia on July 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the “blatant attacks” against the kingdom, without further specifying the attacks.

Islamabad had also backed Riyadh at an emergency UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, calling for all parties concerned to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

Under a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” signed between the two in September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are to treat any attack on either nation as an act of aggression against both.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close defence and security ties for decades, and their cooperation has remained an important element of Islamabad’s regional diplomacy.

Pakistan had invoked the defence pact through diplomatic intervention in early March to help deter heavier Iranian strikes against Saudi Arabia.

Ships change course in Red Sea

While it remains unclear how the Houthis would enforce such a blockade, their threats have raised concerns about maritime security and energy shipping in the Red Sea.

Four tankers changed their navigational course in the Red Sea on Wednesday, with two signalling the Suez Canal as their new destination, Reuters reports, citing ship tracking data.

The vessels all changed their direction, with the other two signalling their destination as open waters in the Red Sea, according to LSEG and MarineTraffic ship tracking data and analysis from British maritime risk management group Vanguard.

A fifth ship, a vehicle carrier, appeared to have turned away in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday after signalling the Saudi port of Jeddah as its next destination, according to shipping data.

On Tuesday, three oil tankers loaded with Saudi crude for China and India made U-turns in the Red Sea, heading towards the Suez Canal rather than ‌braving the Yemeni coast at the sea’s mouth, Reuters reported.

The Houthis have previously tried to cut off shipping through the Red Sea, leveraging the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chok­epoint at its southern tip which vessels must navigate when travelling to or from the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu has been crucial for exporting oil, bypassing Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the United States.

Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia fell for a third straight month in May to a record low, data ​from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Tuesday, with the ‌US-Iran conflict disrupting shipments across the Gulf.

Exports fell to about 3.434 million barrels per day in May, from 3.986m bpd in April.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his country would “take care of” the Houthis if they followed through on the threat to blockade Saudi Arabia’s ports.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan “strongly condemns the blatant attacks” against Saudi Arabia the previous night, reaffirming Islamabad’s unwavering support for the kingdom’s security.

The premier’s condemnation in an X post did not further specify the attacks. But, his statement came after Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Houthis.

“Such reprehensible actions constitute a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability,” PM Shehbaz warned.

He said Pakistan “reaffirms its unwavering support for the kingdom’s security and stands in complete solidarity with the brotherly kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this critical time”.

“On its part, Pakistan will continue to support all sincere efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, security, and mutual understanding across the region,” he added.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close defence and security ties for decades, and their cooperation has remained an important element of Islamabad’s regional diplomacy.

In September 2025, the two countries signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

On Monday, Pakistan backed Saudi Arabia at an emergency UN Security Council briefing on Yemen as well, calling for all parties concerned to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

Pakistan’s statement at the Security Council was focused on three issues: support for Saudi Arabia’s security, respect for Yemen’s sovereignty, and the need for an inclusive political settlement to end the conflict in Yemen.

Latest flare-up in Yemen

Yemen has been gripped by conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the beleaguered government the following year.

In the latest flare-up in the conflict, the Yemeni government on Monday attacked the international airport in the capital, Sanaa.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government said it wanted to prevent an Iranian plane from landing in Sanaa after it failed to convince a Houthi delegation, which went to Tehran for assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral, to board a flight of Yemen’s flag carrier instead.

Hours after the airport attack, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Houthis.

Monday’s flare-up was the biggest between the Yemeni government and the Houthis in years, with the latter blaming Saudi Arabia for threatening to unravel a UN-negotiated truce that has been holding since 2022.

Speaking at the UNSC briefing, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, strongly condemned the ballistic missile attacks against Saudi Arabia and expressed Islamabad’s solidarity with the kingdom.

ALTHOUGH it will take time for US-Iran negotiations to produce a durable peace deal, regional states have begun positioning themselves to benefit from the new economic opportunities that are likely to emerge. Anticipating greater regional integration, Türkiye, for example, has announced incentives to attract manufacturing investment.

Pakistan, too, is well placed to benefit. It has earned global goodwill for helping reduce regional tensions and supporting diplomatic efforts for peace. At home, the economy has reached an important inflection point. After restoring macroeconomic stability, the challenge now is to move towards investment-led, export-oriented and inclusive growth. The new budget seeks to balance fiscal discipline under the IMF programme with steps to ease business constraints and give relief to citizens — an aim that’s essential but not easy to fulfil.

Implementation of the broader reform agenda is a sine qua non for availing emerging opportunities: improving security, making energy prices competitive, privatising SOEs, broadening the tax base while reducing compliant taxpayers’ burden, expediting regulatory reforms, investing in quality human capital, replacing generalised subsidies with targeted support, digitising the economy, reducing government size and boosting public institutions. Success depends less on announcing reforms and more on implementing them thro­ugh responsibilities, timelines and accountability.

Here, we focus on how Pakistan should seize the economic opportunities arising from a regio­nal peace settlement. Some are asking how many billions of dollars Pakistan should receive for its constructive role. This is a mistaken approach. A country aspiring to dignity and self-reliance shouldn’t revert to the rentier-state model that’s weakened its economy. Indeed, we should gradually convert or repay the nearly $12 billion in friendly-country deposits supporting our foreign exchange reserves. We should build partnerships based on expanding trade, attracting investment for productive sectors (agriculture and industry) and acquiring technology and managerial expertise. Friendly states’ proposals must be judged against these goals. Implementation is critical. Agreements must be supported by measurable mi­­lestones, regular monitoring and effective coor­­dination, with the PM himself reviewing progress.

Iran, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia offer immediate economic opportunities.

Iran: A stable, economically revitalised Iran offers Pakistan enormous opportunities. Scholars like Vali Nasr and Nargis Bajoghli say that the emerging generation of Iran’s security and political leaders is technocratic and strategically nationalist rather than ideological. They know that prolonged economic stagnation is the greatest threat to political stability. Hence economic recovery is central to their national priorities. This change should facilitate stronger bilateral economic cooperation while helping improve border security.

During President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent visit, both countries agreed to raise bilateral trade from about $3bn to $10bn by 2028. Achieving this target needs close collaboration between the commerce ministry and private sector to identify products in which Pakistan enjoys a comparative advantage. Pakistan can expand exports of rice, meat, textile, surgical instruments, fruit and processed foods, while importing raw material and intermediate goods from Iran at competitive prices.

Our engineering and logistics organisations should participate in Iran’s post-war reconstruction through commercial partnerships with Iranian firms. Skilled and semi-skilled workers whose wage costs are lower than those of their Iranian counterparts can contribute to reconstruction activities.

Iran’s opening of six trade routes to Central Asia and Azerbaijan is another opportunity. Pakistan should improve customs procedures, border infrastructure, logistics and road connectivity to benefit from these transit corridors. If sanctions on Iran’s energy exports are eased, Pakistan should replace informal fuel imports with transparent commercial purchases of discounted Iranian crude oil while developing strategic petroleum reserves at Gwadar. The six border markets should be fully operational to stimulate economic activity in Makran Division with SEZs supplying products for cross-border trade.

Pakistan must also revive talks on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline by aligning pricing with global benchmarks. Additional electricity imports from Iran can lessen power shortages in Gwadar and its environs. Collaboration in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, dairy technology and scientific research must be expanded.

Türkiye: Pakistan and Türkiye are committed to increasing bilateral trade from $1bn to $5bn within three years. This needs active private-sector participation and removal of trade barriers. Türkiye’s internationally competitive construction companies can partner with Pakistani firms to undertake reconstruction projects in Iran. Pakistan should study Türkiye’s successful integration of defence industries with private manufacturing, which has generated technological innovation with a significant impact on manufacturing and a strengthened civilian industry.

The greatest opportunity may lie in attracting Turkish manufacturing investment. Major Turkish conglomerates such as Koç Holding, Sabancı Holding and Anadolu Group have extensive access to European markets. Their labour-intensive production of consumer electronics, household appliances and engineering goods could be partially relocated to Pakistan, allowing Turkish firms to benefit from competitive production costs while creating employment, exports and technology transfer for Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia: Our highest investment priority should be the long-delayed petrochemical complex and modern refinery proposed by the Saudi crown prince during his 2021 visit. Feasibility studies have been completed; remaining administrative and financial obstacles must be removed. This project will transform the competitiveness of our downstream manufacturing industries, including automobiles, synthetic fibre, plastics, packaging, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, electronics, paints and detergents, and reduce import dependence, boost exports and create value addition within Pakistan. A financing option is to convert Saudi Arabia’s deposits held by Pakistan into equity participation in the project to transform temporary financial support into long-term productive investment while boosting bilateral economic ties.

Focused strategy: This agenda focuses on Iran, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia as they offer immediate opportunities. China, the US and other Gulf countries remain vital economic partners, but the current geopolitical transition provides exceptional prospects with these three countries. So, Pakistan shouldn’t measure its diplomatic success by the amount of financial help it receives. The real dividend of regional peace lies in expanding trade, attracting productive investment and acquiring technology. If these opportunities are pursued along with vigorous, disciplined implementation of the domestic reforms agenda, and with clear accountability, Pakistan can convert its enhanced global standing into durable economic growth and achieve greater regional integration.

The writer is a former World Bank country director for Central Asian Republics.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday that an agreement had been signed with Saudi Arabia for the construction of a modern cricket stadium in Jeddah.

In a post on X, the cricket board said the agreement was signed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) chief Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Mohammad Al Saud. Naqvi is currently in Saudi Arabia on an official visit.

“For the first time in history, a strategic agreement has been signed between the PCB and the SACF for the construction of a modern cricket stadium in Jeddah,” he said.

“The PCB will build a cricket stadium as per international standards and with state-of-the-art facilities. All the facilities will be according to the standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC),” the statement said.

It further said that the two boards would jointly work on infrastructure development, technical expertise, stadium planning and operational standards.

It said the project would play a key role in enabling Saudi Arabia to host international cricket matches and big events, adding the project would also support the aims under the Gulf country’s 2030 vision.

“The project is a milestone for the promotion of cricket in Saudi Arabia,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.

“The partnership will bring the cricket community together and become a lasting legacy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Naqvi also met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, state-run PTV reported.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening security cooperation between the two countries, it said, adding that a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation was signed between the two countries.

The pact reflects strong strategic cooperation and deep brotherly ties between the two countries, the report added.

According to PTV News, Naqvi also visited the Unified Security Operations Center (911) in Riyadh, where he assessed the “communication system for security institutions and modern technology”.

The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt exchanged views on “evolving regional dynamics,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a post on X on Saturday.

According to the FO, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye. It included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Turkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty.

In an effort to halt the US-Israeli war on Iran, the foreign ministers of the four countries had held two meetings ahead of the announcement of ceasefire, which is set to expire on April 22. The first meeting was held in Riyadh on the sidelines of a consultative ministerial meeting, while the second meeting was held in Islamabad.

On Saturday, the FO said that the foreign ministers “exchanged views on evolving regional dynamics, reaffirming the vital role of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace, stability and shared prosperity”.

“The foreign ministers expressed a shared commitment to advancing this partnership, deepening coordination and expanding collaboration across key areas of mutual interest,” it said.

Islamabad has been engaging in intense diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war. It had hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad on April 11, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979. Both delegations departed the capital on Sunday after the talks ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. Reports have also emerged that a second round of talks could be held in Islamabad in the coming week.

On Saturday, Egypt’s Abdelatty said the country was working closely with Pakistan on a framework aimed at securing a lasting peace between the US and Iran.

He said Egypt, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were coordinating a broader regional effort focused on preventing renewed escalation and laying the groundwork for a post-war security arrangement, stressing the importance of protecting Gulf states and stabilising energy markets, supply chains and food security.

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Additional input from AFP

After wrapping up visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived in Turkiye’s Antalya on the third leg of his tri-nation tour, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The PMO later said that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, paid a courtesy call on PM Shehbaz, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi were also present at the meeting.

“During their cordial conversation, Foreign Minister Fidan extended a warm welcome to PM Shehbaz and thanked him for his participation in the upcoming Antalya Diplomacy Forum. He said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was looking forward to his meeting with the PM on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum,” the PMO said.

It added that PM Shehbaz thanked FM Fidan for the warm welcome and traditional hospitality.

“He said it was a pleasure for him to visit Turkiye, his second home. He was looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and said that he was looking forward to meeting Erdogan, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum,” it said.

According to the Foreign Office (FO), the prime minister, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is undertaking official visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye from April 15 to 18. Earlier in the day, he was in Qatar, where he met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin welcomed the premier and his delegation at the airport, the PMO said in an earlier statement, adding that Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Yousuf Junaid and other senior officials were also present.

It said that PM Shehbaz would attend the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum and was also expected to meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and other world leaders.

PM meets Qatar’s emir

In his meeting with the Qatar’s emir, Shehbaz had stressed the importance of de-escalation and dialogue amid the ongoing regional situation. The meeting with the Qatari emir took place shortly after his arrival in Doha.

“I had a most warm and cordial meeting with my dear brother, Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha today,” PM Shehbaz said on X.

He stated: “We discussed the evolving regional situation, particularly in the Gulf region, and underscored the importance of de-escalation, dialogue, and close international coordination to ensure peace and stability.

“I reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of attacks targeting Qatar and other regional countries, and conveyed our full solidarity with the brotherly people of Qatar,” the premier added.

The prime minister said he thanked Sheikh Tamim on behalf of the people of Pakistan for the “exceptionally warm and generous gesture of sending Qatar’s fighter jets to escort our aircraft as it entered Qatari airspace”.

“I am truly touched by this gesture, which also embodies the spirit of Qatar’s renowned hospitality and the strength of our enduring ties,” he remarked.

“We also reviewed our deep-rooted bilateral ties and reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening cooperation in key areas including security, defence, and energy,” PM Shehbaz said.

He noted that the “extremely warm and productive exchanges were reflective of Pakistan’s longstanding ties with Qatar and the Gulf states”.

The meeting between PM Shehbaz and Sheikh Tamim at the emir’s palace lasted over an hour, during which they discussed the “latest regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East”, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The Qatari emir welcomed the prime minister and his delegation, and expressed his “deep appreciation for Pakistan’s pivotal role in supporting efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region and promote diplomatic dialogue in a manner that serves regional security and stability”, the statement said.

“Both leaders underscored the importance of supporting de-escalation efforts and enhancing international coordination to ensure the security and stability of the region, particularly ensuring the maintenance of the smooth flow of energy supply chains,” it added.

The two leaders also reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and ways to further develop them, especially in the fields of security, defence, and energy, “in a manner that strengthens the partnership and opens new avenues for bilateral cooperation”.

PM Shehbaz and Sheikh Tamim also held a one-on-one meeting, during which they “exchanged views on current developments of mutual interest and emphasised the importance of continued coordination and consultation between the two countries, particularly in light of ongoing events and their implications for regional security and stability”, the statement noted.

The bilateral meeting was also attended by Qatar’s PM and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Amiri Diwan Chief Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, and a number of senior officials.

On the Pakistani side, it was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials, the statement said.

Following the meeting, the Qatari emir hosted a luncheon in honour of the prime minister and the accompanying delegation.

In an earlier statement on X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the premier, along with his delegation, was welcomed by Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad bin Sultan Al Muraikhi.

Upon arrival, the Pakistani delegation was welcomed by a contingent of the Qatari Armed Forces, the PMO said, adding that the airport and the city had been decorated with Pakistani flags.

The PMO said PM Shehbaz and the Qatari emir were to “exchange views on Pakistan’s efforts towards regional and global peace”.

Saudi Arabia visit concludes

In an earlier statement, the PMO said that PM Shehbaz had departed for Doha after concluding his visit to Saudi Arabia.

Deputy PM Dar had also posted that the premier and his delegation were leaving Madina for Doha to hold the meeting with the emir.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, the premier landed in Madina last night, where he and his delegation were welcomed by Madina Governor Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud upon arrival.

According to the PMO, the prime minister visited the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque in Madina and offered prayers for the progress of the country and nation, as well as for peace and reconciliation around the world.

“The gates of the Prophet’s Chamber were opened for the prime minister and the delegation; the prime minister paid a special visit to the Prophet’s Chamber (peace be upon him) and presented salutations and blessings,” the statement said.

After reaching Jeddah on Wednesday, PM Shehbaz met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the PMO said. Dar was also present at the meeting. Dar posted on X that the meeting was “marked by warmth, brotherhood, and a shared vision for a stronger Pakistan–Saudi Arabia partnership”.

According to the PMO handout, the meeting lasted two hours, during which the two leaders held detailed discussions on the “evolving regional situation”.

“The prime minister expressed full solidarity and support for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the wake of the recent regional escalation. He conveyed deep condolences over the loss of precious lives and said the people of Pakistan stand shoulder to shoulder with their Saudi brethren,” it said.

The statement said that PM Shehbaz also appreciated the “patience and restraint” shown by the kingdom. He also apprised the crown prince of “recent developments related to Pakistan’s peace efforts that led to the US- Iran ceasefire and the recently held round of historic talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad”.

The statement said that the crown prince appreciated the “constructive role” of PM Shehbaz and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir in the peace process.

“While exchanging views on bilateral issues, the prime minister expressed his sincere appreciation for the crown prince for the kingdom’s consistent support to Pakistan’s economic stability. The prime minister also highlighted that Pakistan and the kingdom enjoyed a unique relationship as they were both strategic defence partners under the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement,” the statement said, adding that both leaders also expressed their shared commitment for continuing close cooperation on matters of mutual interest.

In its earlier statement, the FO said the visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar were “in the bilateral context”. It added that the premier would meet the leadership there to “discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security”.

In Turkiye, he will participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum and present Pakistan’s position in the Leaders’ Panel along with other world leaders, the FO added.

Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — were facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says were aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes. Pakistan intensified efforts to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the war that had engulfed the Middle East, leading to a fragile, temporary ceasefire and a first round of talks in Islamabad.

Last month, PM Shehbaz hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) confirmed on Thursday that Pakistan has received $2 billion from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The central bank said the funds were received “in the value date of April 15, 2026”.

The development comes amid Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia to push diplomatic efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.

A day earlier, the kingdom pledged an additional $3bn in deposits for Pakistan and extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years.

On Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency also reported that Saudi Arabia had extended the $5bn deposit with the central bank and announced an “additional $3bn deposit”.

“This assistance aims at supporting Pakistan’s economy and strengthening its resilience amidst evolving global economic challenges, and comes in accordance with the leadership’s directives to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between the two countries, affirming the kingdom’s commitment to fostering the economic growth of Pakistan, which is expected to reflect positively on the living conditions of Pakistani citizens,” it said.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said earlier that the existing $5bn Saudi deposit would no longer be subject to the previous annual rollover arrangement and would instead be extended for a longer term.

Pakistan will reportedly return a $3.5bn loan to the UAE this month, putting pressure on its reserves and risking breaches of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets.

The development comes at a sensitive time for the country’s external account position, which is already under strain from rising global oil prices and economic spillovers linked to tensions in the Middle East.

According to official figures, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $16.4bn as of March 27, sufficient to cover close to three months of imports. However, the repayment requirement from the UAE has added fresh pressure on the country’s external buffers.

In March, Islamabad failed to secure an agreement with the UAE to roll over the $3.5bn facility, marking the first such failure in seven years and raising concerns about near-term financing gaps.

Pakistan’s foreign exchange position, though under pressure, remains part of a broader stabilisation effort under IMF-supported reforms.

Analysts say external financing risks remain a key vulnerability, particularly amid volatile energy prices and constrained global capital markets.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after he reached Jeddah on Wednesday alongside a high-level delegation on an official visit to the kingdom, the PM Office’s (PMO) said in a statement.

The statement added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting.

Dar separately posted on X that the meeting was “marked by warmth, brotherhood, and a shared vision for a stronger Pakistan–Saudi Arabia partnership”.

“The prime minister reaffirmed our deep-rooted ties, built on faith, trust, and mutual respect, and explored avenues to further enhance cooperation across all sectors,” he added.

Dar further stated, “Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis, and we remain committed to strengthening this historic and fraternal relationship for generations to come.”

Earlier, a post on the PMO’s X account said the premier was received by the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mushaal bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq upon his arrival in the kingdom.

It added that while in Jeddah, PM Shehbaz would meet with the kingdom’s top leadership.

“The meeting will involve discussions on further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and an exchange of views on the regional situation,” the PMO said.

According to the PMO, apart from DPM Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Fatemi, as well as other senior officials, are also part of the delegation.

Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) said the prime minister, accompanied by a high-level delegation, would be undertaking official visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye from April 15 to 18.

In its statement, the FO said the visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar were “in the bilateral context”. It added that the premier would meet the leadership there to “discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security”.

In Turkiye, he will participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum and present Pakistan’s position in the Leaders’ Panel along with other world leaders, the FO added.

“Pakistan’s participation in the forum reflects its continued commitment to constructive diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and meaningful engagement with the international community on issues of global importance,” the FO statement said.

On the sidelines of the forum, PM Shehbaz was “expected to hold bilateral meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other key world leaders”.

Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — were facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says were aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes. Pakistan intensified efforts to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the war that had engulfed the Middle East, leading to a fragile, temporary ceasefire and a first round of talks in Islamabad.

Last month, PM Shehbaz hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation.

On March 9, PM Shehbaz held a “restricted meeting” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a statement by the PM’s spokesperson.

During the meeting, the prime minister expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in these challenging times”, and both leaders agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad.

Earlier today, the finance ministry announced that Saudi Arabia has pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits for Pakistan and has extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years.

The ministry further stated that the existing $5bn Saudi deposit would no longer be subject to the previous annual rollover arrangement and would instead be extended for a longer term.

On April 11, the Saudi defence ministry confirmed that Pakistan has sent a military force and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to boost security under a joint defence cooperation agreement between the two countries.

In September of last year, PM Shehbaz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

Saudi Arabia has pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits for Pakistan and has extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced in Washington.

Pakistan will reportedly return a $3.5bn loan to the UAE this month, putting pressure on its reserves and risking breaches of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets.

He added that the existing $5bn Saudi deposit would no longer be subject to the previous annual rollover arrangement and would instead be extended for a longer term.

The finance minister made the announcement while speaking to media representatives in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings 2026, where he shared key details on Saudi financial support for Pakistan and the government’s external financing strategy.

According to the finance czar, the support from the kingdom comes at a “critical time” for Pakistan’s external financing needs and would help “reinforce foreign exchange reserves and strengthen the country’s external account”.

Aurangzeb reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining reserves in line with its market obligations and targets under the IMF-supported programme, including the goal of building reserves to around $18bn — equivalent to roughly 3.3 months of import cover — by the end of the fiscal year.

The finance minister noted that Pakistan had successfully repaid $1.4bn in debts last week, including a Eurobond, terming it a “non-event”, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to meeting all upcoming external obligations and maturities on time.

He said the country’s external financing plan was clearly laid out and was being implemented in a responsible and disciplined manner.

Aurangzeb recalled his “detailed meeting” with his Saudi counterpart Mohammed bin Abdullah al Jadaan last week in Islamabad, adding that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor and Pakistan’s envoy to Washington were also in attendance.

He noted that the government had “deliberately refrained from commenting publicly in the absence of formal communication, despite media reports and speculation, as such matters required clarity and joint understanding before being shared”.

Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to the leadership of Saudi Arabia, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the finance minister and the Saudi vice finance minister, for their continued support and close cooperation, and appreciated the efforts made to bring the package to fruition.

The finance minister also acknowledged the role of Pakistan’s political and economic leadership in securing and operationalising the support. He thanked the prime minister, the field marshal, the deputy prime minister, the SBP governor, and others for their contributions and coordination.

Aurangzeb said that sentiment and confidence were currently of “critical” importance, noting that Pakistan was receiving strong appreciation from international financial institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank, as well as from institutional investors and counterparts in Washington.

He said the international community had particularly acknowledged Pakistan’s recent diplomatic and facilitative role in enabling dialogue between parties that had not held face-to-face talks for decades.

He added that this appreciation, along with Saudi Arabia’s timely financial support, had provided Pakistan with renewed momentum and confidence for the economy and the external account, including its commercial aspects.

The finance minister also stated that Islamabad was advancing its broader external financing agenda, including the recently announced Global Medium-Term Note (GMTN) programme and the planned inaugural Panda Bond issuance.

In his statement, the finance minister concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to macroeconomic stability, meeting external obligations, maintaining reform momentum and sustaining engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners.

He added that a more detailed interaction with the media would be held at the end of the visit.

A day ago, speaking on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank annual spring meetings, Aurangzeb said the country could manage all debt repayments, and that its reserves remained at roughly 2.8 months of import cover.

Maintaining at least that level, he said, would be “an important aspect of our overall macro stability as we go forward”.

“We are looking at Eurobond, we are looking at Islamic sukuk, we are looking at dollar-settled rupee-linked bonds,” Aurangzeb said, adding that they expected to issue Eurobonds this year and are also exploring commercial loans.

Aurangzeb said while the country had not yet requested any additions or changes to its $7bn IMF programme due to the economic shocks of the war in the Middle East, it was a potential option.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue supporting diplomatic efforts for sustaining dialogue and promoting peace.

His remarks came during telephonic conversations with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye after the conclusion of US-Iran talks in Islamabad on early Sunday morning.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Dar had spoken with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal Bin Farhaan, today and shared developments regarding the Islamabad Talks.

During the phone call, Dar “stressed the importance of all parties adhering to their ceasefire commitments,” the FO stated.

Underscoring Pakistan’s role in facilitating the dialogue, Dar reaffirmed the “resolve to continue supporting all diplomatic efforts and sustain dialogue to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the FO said.

In his conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Dar briefed him on the Islamabad Talks and Pakistan’s continued efforts in facilitating engagement between the parties, the FO said.

“He emphasised that it is imperative for all the parties to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” it stated.

Dar also reiterated the need for continued dialogue and diplomacy to achieve peace and stability in the region and beyond, the FO said.

Dar also spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, sharing developments regarding the Islamabad Talks and stressing the importance of all parties adhering to their ceasefire commitments, the FO said.

According to the FO,Fidan commended Pakistan’s role in facilitating the dialogue between Iran and the US.

“Both reaffirmed their support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at sustaining dialogue and promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond.”

Fidan also extended the invitation to Dar for the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, scheduled to be held later this month, the FO said.

The exchanges took place on the same day when talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad ended without any agreement. The talks, facilitated by Pakistan, were aimed at restoring peace more than a month after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, setting off a conflict that gave rise to a global fuel crisis.

Pakistan positioned itself as a facilitator in the peace process.

The day the conflict started, PM Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar began dialling Iranian and Gulf leaders and other regional players, stressing the need for dialogue and de-escalation.

On March 24, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan stood “ready and honoured” to host “meaningful and conclusive talks” between the US and Iran.

The next day, Washington sent a 15-point peace proposal to Tehran, which was conveyed through Pakistan. In response, Iran put forward its own set of five conditions for ending the war.

While Iranian media had initially reported Tehran’s rejection of the US proposal, Dar on March 26 confirmed that “indirect talks” were underwakay with istan relaying messages.

Subsequently, foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt were in Islamabad on March 29 and participated in a quadrilateral moot focused on de-escalation efforts in the Middle East. Dar had also said after the quadrilateral moot that Iran and US had expressed confidence in Pakistan to facilitate talks and Islamabad would be honoured to host the dialogue “in the coming days”.

A day after the moot, Dar was in Beijing, where Pakistan and China issued a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East.

The threats of the war prolonging and intensifying escalated on April 5, when Trump, after making an expletive-laden post, issued an unusually precise deadline for Iran to agree to a ceasefire deal with Washington and allow traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a key maritime corridor through which 20pc of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the Middle East war began.

“Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time,” he wrote, coupled with the warning of bombing Iran’s power plants and bridges on that day, increasing pressure to prevent a worsening situation.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that Tehran had conveyed its ​response to a ‌US proposal for ending the war ​to Pakistan, again rejecting ​a ceasefire and emphasising ⁠the necessity ​of a permanent end ​to the war.

The Iranian response consisted of 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction, the agency added.

On the day of his deadline, Trump doubled down on his threats against Iran, alarming the world.

“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back,” he wrote, prompting backlash from even within his country.

With hours left for the deadline to end, PM Shehbaz publicly requested Trump to “extend the deadline for two weeks”, noting that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful settlement of the ongoing war were “progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully”.

He also requested Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks.

Shortly thereafter, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to say that he had spoken with PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir.

“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump announced.

Subsequently, Iran’s FM Araghchi shared a statement on behalf of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council declaring that if attacks against the country were halted, it would cease its defensive operations.

Eventually, talks between the two sides were held in Islamabad, but they failed to reach an agreement.

Pakistan has sent a military force and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to boost security under a joint defence cooperation agreement between the two countries, the Saudi defence ministry said on Saturday.

The Saudi ministry, in a statement, wrote that a military force and fighter jets from Pakistan had arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in its eastern province.

It added that the Pakistani deployment was aimed at “strengthening the joint defence cooperation agreement signed between the two brotherly countries”.

“The Pakistani force consists of fighter and support aircraft belonging to the Pakistani Air Force, with the aim of enhancing joint military coordination, raising the level of operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries,” it continued.

The planes were sent after Iranian strikes hit key energy infrastructure and killed a Saudi national, three sources, including a senior Pakistani government official, told Reuters.

They were “not there to attack anyone”, said the Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

An Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia’s sprawling Jubail petrochemicals complex on Monday had raised concerns in Pakistan that the kingdom might retaliate, potentially jeopardising the Iran peace talks, the three sources said.

The Pakistani deployment was aimed at reassuring Riyadh that Islamabad would help defend the kingdom from any further attacks, the sources said.

The Saudi government media office and Pakistan’s military did not respond to requests for comment.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad.

In September of last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

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With input from Reuters

Since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Pakistan’s top civilian leadership has leaned on backchannel and direct telephonic diplomacy, using a steady stream of phone calls to position Islamabad as a bridge between Washington and Tehran.

From the first day of the conflict, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began reaching out to Gulf leaders, condemning regional escalation and showing solidarity.

In the weeks that followed, both the premier and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expanded that outreach, holding repeated conversations with counterparts in Tehran, Gulf capitals, and key regional players.

Here is a timeline of the calls made by Pakistan’s leadership since the conflict began.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development, during a meeting with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al Jadaan, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office (PMO).

The statement said Jadaan, who was on a one-day visit to Islamabad, called on PM Shehbaz at the PM House on Friday evening.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also attended the meeting, it added.

“Welcoming the Saudi dignitary, the prime minister conveyed his respectful regards to … King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

“The prime minister fondly recalled his recent warm and cordial telephone conversation with the crown prince. He expressed appreciation for the crown prince’s deep affection towards Pakistan as well as for the kingdom’s longstanding economic and financial support to Pakistan over the years, which had played a vital role in Pakistan’s economic stability,” the statement read.

It said PM Shehbaz reiterated that the people and government of Pakistan had “always stood shoulder to shoulder with their Saudi brothers and sisters at all times, and this was an abiding bond between both countries, that had grown stronger under the patronage” of Crown Prince Salman.

“The prime minister emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with the kingdom in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development,” it added.

The statement said the Saudi finance minister thanked PM Shehbaz and “reaffirmed the resolve of the kingdom to further strengthen the longstanding, deep-rooted fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as envisioned by Crown Prince Salman”.

Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary between Iran and the United States to secure a temporary ceasefire and host negotiations to end the war in the Middle East.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the US and Iran — and their allies — had agreed to a ceasefire “everywhere” following mediation by Islamabad.

PM Shehbaz said the two-week truce — which Washington and Tehran had announced early on Wednesday — would next lead to talks in Islamabad.

The announcements brought a sigh of relief to the world, which had been on its toes as US President Donald Trump’s April 8, 8pm ET deadline (5am PKT) for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was about to end.

Dawn takes a look at how Islamabad positioned itself as the peacemaker in the war, with its persistent efforts despite moments of dwindling hope of securing calm.

The initial contacts

The newly secured hope for sustainable peace is a result of intense diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, which was actively trying to prevent an escalation as tensions had begun building up earlier this year.

The day the conflict sparked, PM Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar began dialing Iranian and Gulf leaders and other regional players, stressing the need for dialogue and de-escalation.

Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — faced Iranian attacks, which Tehran said were aimed at US and Israeli-linked sites in retaliation for the latter’s deadly strikes.

PM Shehbaz and his government were quick to keep Saudi Arabia on board, with Dar revealing he had “shuttle communication with both Iranian and Saudi sides” in the war’s first week.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in September 2025, cementing longstanding ties but also restricting how far Islamabad could go in supporting Tehran.

On March 7, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Saudi Arabia to discuss Iranian attacks with the Saudi defence minister.

On March 12, PM Shehbaz visited Riyadh for a “restricted meeting” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The same day, the Foreign Office (FO) noted Pakistan was playing the role of a “bridge builder” — indicating that Islamabad was trying to strike a delicate balance and prevent the conflict from expanding further.

Regional efforts and the 15-point proposal

Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt, then stepped up their efforts, holding a “coordination” meeting on March 19 on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting hosted by Riyadh.

Then came back-channel diplomacy by Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt, which were widely reported to have resulted in a pause in US strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

As the momentum built, PM Shehbaz on March 24 offered that Pakistan stood “ready and honoured” to host “meaningful and conclusive talks” between the US and Iran, subject to their concurrence.

The next day, Washington sent a 15-point peace proposal to Tehran, which was conveyed through Pakistan. In response, Iran put forward its own set of five conditions for ending the war.

While Iranian media had initially reported Tehran’s rejection of the US proposal, Dar on March 26 confirmed that “indirect talks” were underway with Pakistan relaying messages.

At this point, the foreign minister of China, which is Iran’s largest trading partner, publicly endorsed Pakistan’s role as a mediator. Trump told AFP that Beijing helped get Iran across the line to the negotiating table.

As peace still seemed far and strikes on Iran’s industries sparked wider retaliation, the group of four that met in Riyadh reconvened to push for reducing tensions.

On March 29, Dar hosted a quadrilateral meeting with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in Islamabad for discussions on de-escalation. Following the talks, he signaled that it could host direct talks between the US and Iran in the coming days.

Dar then flew to Beijing for further talks, where China and Pakistan issued a five-point initiative for restoring peace in the Middle East, calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities.

Sustained war and Trump’s escalating rhetoric

As the war continued into April and Trump maintained his military rhetoric against Iran, some Western outlets began claiming that Pakistan-led peace efforts had reached a “dead end”.

However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was quick to clarify that Tehran’s leadership “never refused to go to Islamabad” for possible peace talks, breathing life into Pakistan’s mediation attempts. At the same time, Iran insisted its position hinged on the terms and conditions of any negotiations.

As per a Dawn report, Pakistan had been relaying messages while building support for talks through parallel engagements with regional and global partners.

The threats of the war prolonging and intensifying escalated on April 5, when Trump, after making an expletive-laden post, issued an unusually precise deadline for Iran.

“Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time,” he wrote, coupled with the warning of bombing Iran’s power plants and bridges on that day, increasing pressure to prevent a worsening situation.

The final push

On the day of his deadline, Trump doubled down on his threats against Iran, alarming the world.

“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back,” he wrote, prompting backlash from even within his country.

With hours left for the deadline to end, Pakistan publicly requested Trump to “extend the deadline for two weeks”, noting that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful settlement of the ongoing war were “progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully”.

He also requested Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks.

Meanwhile, Dar maintained regional communication, holding four phone calls with the foreign ministers of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in a span of around half an hour.

Shortly thereafter, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to say that he had spoken with PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir.

“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump announced.

Subsequently, Iran’s FM Araghchi shared a statement on behalf of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council declaring that if attacks against the country were halted, it would cease its defensive operations.

“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s armed forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” he added.

“We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two-week period will allow the Agreement to be finalised and consummated,” Trump said, leaving the door open for future dialogue.

‘Neutral’ Pakistan leverages ties with Iran, US

Throughout the conflict, Pakistan leveraged its working relationship with its neighbour Iran, close coordination with Gulf countries, and its recent positive trajectory in ties with the US.

“Pakistan has strong credentials as the only country in the region enjoying good relations with the US and Iran,” said the country’s former ambassador to Tehran, Asif Durrani.

Pakistan shares a 900-kilometre border with Iran, and also deep historical, cultural and religious links. It is also home to the world’s second-largest Shia population after Iran.

Iran was the first country to recognise Pakistan after its independence in 1947. Pakistan returned the favour for the Islamic republic after the 1979 revolution.

Pakistan also represents some Iranian diplomatic interests in Washington, where Tehran has no embassy.

When it comes to the US, Islamabad’s ties with Washington have witnessed major improvement, especially after the Pakistan-India ceasefire in May 2025 that Trump mediated.

Field Marshal Munir has built up a personal rapport with Trump.

CDF Munir visited Washington with PM Shehbaz in September 2025. Pakistan even repeatedly said that Trump deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping its war with India.

On Iran, Trump said Pakistan knows the country “better than most”.

Personal relations have long helped boost bilateral ties shaped by shifting strategic interests that have at times been strained.

At the same time, neutrality makes economic sense for Pakistan, which relies on oil and gas imports through the Strait of Hormuz and wants to avoid getting dragged into another conflict on its doorstep.

Continued disruption would have worsened fuel supplies, driven up prices and forced further austerity measures for the cash-strapped government.

A permanent end to the war would not only boost regional stability but also Pakistan’s international standing.

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Additional input by AFP

The army’s top brass on Tuesday condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran as “an unnecessary escalation”, according to the military’s media affairs wing.

The development came as Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir presided over the 274th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

It said that the forum appreciated the “hectic efforts” taken by the government to bring an end to the war in the Middle East, “echoing the call for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to principled diplomacy and constructive engagement”.

“The forum reiterated Pakistan’s role as a responsible regional stakeholder, actively contributing to peace and stability as a regional security stabiliser,” the statement said.

It added that the forum noted with “concern and vehemently condemned the latest attacks on Saudi Arabia’s petrochemical and industrial complex as an unnecessary escalation which spoils sincere efforts to resolve the conflict through peaceful means”.

The statement said the forum noted that the restraint and calibration exhibited by the kingdom, despite “grave provocations”, enabled mediation and diplomatic resolution.

However, it added that such “unwarranted aggressions have serious repercussions, to spoil the ongoing peaceful options and conducive environment”.

Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office had also condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities, terming the attacks as “a dangerous escalation” that undermined regional peace and stability.

It should be noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh last year, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

Meanwhile, ISPR said that the corps commanders’ conference also undertook a comprehensive review of the prevailing internal and external security environment, “reaffirming that all terrorist proxies operating on behest of Indian and other external sponsors, along with their facilitators and abettors, will be pursued and eliminated, relentlessly, and without exception”.

The statement said that the pace of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched against the Afghan Taliban on February 26, would be maintained till the “culmination of terrorists’ safe heavens and use of the Afghan soil against Pakistan is decisively brought to an end”.

The forum also categorically rejected “persistent disinformation, baseless allegations, and false flag narratives attributed to India, noting that such tactics stand discredited internationally”.

“The forum expressed concern over continued human rights violations by Indian authorities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and noted the recent spate of fake encounters at various locations to cover up extrajudicial killings,” the statement said.

In his remarks, CDF Munir expressed his satisfaction and commended the armed forces for their unwavering professionalism, operational excellence, and steadfast commitment towards the defence of the country and sustained, intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations.

“He underscored that through the synergy of the government, armed forces, and the people, Pakistan continues to consolidate security gains, strengthen economic resilience, and enhance its regional and global standing,” the statement said.

He also directed commanders to maintain the highest standards of operational readiness, professionalism, and adaptability, expressing full confidence in the armed forces’ ability to counter all forms of threats and to ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, it added.

At the outset of the meeting, the forum offered Fateha for the martyrs of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and innocent civilians who laid down their lives in defence of the motherland.

“Paying solemn tribute to their unmatched sacrifices, the Forum reaffirmed that their legacy remains the bedrock of Pakistan’s national security,” the statement said.

Pakistan on Tuesday condemned Iranian missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities, terming the attacks as “a dangerous escalation” that undermined regional peace and stability.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said, “The government of Pakistan expresses its deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the missile and drone attacks carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran last night against energy facilities in the Eastern Region of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The statement said that Pakistan also mourned the loss of life resulting from these attacks and “strongly deplores the damage inflicted on vital infrastructure”.

The statement also conveyed Pakistan’s condolences to the families of the victims, adding that the country firmly stood in solidarity with the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during this difficult time.

“The government of Pakistan considers these attacks a serious violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a dangerous escalation that undermines regional peace and stability,” the FO said.

“Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the Kingdom’s security,” the statement concluded.

PM speaks to Saudi crown prince

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X that he spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and “conveyed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

“Condemned today’s attack on the Al Jubeil oil facility. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Saudi brothers and sisters,” he said.

“Appreciated the kingdom’s restraint under the wise and sagacious leadership of his royal highness the crown prince and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing peace efforts for de-escalation in the region,” he said.

A separate statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders discussed the ongoing hostilities in the region.”

“The prime minister lauded the wisdom and sagacity of the Saudi leadership in exercising maximum restraint during the ongoing crisis, and stated that Pakistan was working assiduously for the success of the peace efforts, in partnership with other countries. He also apprised the crown prince on latest developments in Pakistan’s mediation efforts to de-escalate the Middle East crisis,” the PMO handout said.

“The crown prince appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts, aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region,” it added.

Later, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed evolving regional developments with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, the FO said.

It added that Dar shared the latest developments in Pakistan’s efforts to promote “dialogue and diplomatic engagement in pursuit of peace and stability in the region”.

Attack on Saudi Arabia

The kingdom has come under attack from hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, most of which were intercepted, authorities have said.

Early on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said that it had intercepted ballistic missiles towards its eastern region, with debris falling near energy facilities. However, it had not specified who launched the projectiles.

Meanwhile, a witness who requested anonymity told AFP on Tuesday that overnight attacks on Saudi Arabia hit a petrochemical complex in a sprawling industrial area in the eastern city of Jubail, hours after similar installations in Iran were struck.

“An attack caused a fire at the SABIC plants in Jubail. The sounds of explosions were very loud,” the source said, referring to the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation.

Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia is home to one of the world’s largest industrial cities, where steel, gasoline, petrochemicals, lubricating oil and chemical fertilisers are produced.

The source later told AFP that workers in affected areas had been evacuated from their living quarters.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued simultaneous public safety alerts on Tuesday, while the bridge that connects Saudi Arabia to Bahrain was briefly closed as a precautionary measure following warning alerts.

It should be noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh last year, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

Last month, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar disclosed that Pakistan’s diplomatic intervention helped deter heavier Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia.

Amid the ongoing conflict, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir met Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud while PM Shehbaz met the Saudi crown prince.

In the latter meeting, the premier expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” for Saudi Arabia “in these challenging times” and agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.

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Additional input from AFP and Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to host the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt from March 29-30 for “in-depth discussions” on a variety of issues, including efforts to reduce the ongoing tensions in the region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In a press release issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia’s FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkiye’s FM Hakan Fidan, and Egypt’s FM Dr Badr Abdelatty will visit Islamabad from March 29 to March 30.

“During the visit, the foreign ministers will hold in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” the FO said, adding that the visiting dignitaries will also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Pakistan highly values its relations with the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt,” the FO statement underscored.

“The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan’s cooperation and coordination with these countries across multifaceted areas of mutual interest,” it noted.

Announcing the same on X, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the “distinguished leaders will engage in comprehensive discussions on a wide range of regional and international issues — focusing on efforts to promote peace and de-escalation”.

Late on Saturday, the Egyptian and Turkish FMs arrived in Islamabad.

Originally planned in Turkiye, the talks were shifted to Islamabad due to Pakistan’s growing role in the Iran-US dialogue process and the possibility that it may also host those negotiations.

The venue change reflects Islamabad’s deep involvement in ongoing diplomatic efforts, which made participation in a meeting in Turkiye less feasible.

This shift has intensified the speculation that an Iran-US meeting is likely to happen in Islamabad in a few days.

PM Shehbaz on Tuesday had formally pitched Islamabad as a potential venue for negotiations between Iranian and US officials, “subject to concurrence by the US and Iran”.

Intensified diplomacy

The four-country mechanism was formed on March 19 on the sidelines of a gathering of 10 Arab and Muslim states in Riyadh earlier this month.

While initial accounts framed the meeting around defence cooperation, officials now say the current diplomatic track effectively emerged from that interaction.

Following the Riyadh meeting, Egyptian intelligence opened channels with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), after which Pakistan moved to the forefront of the evolving diplomatic engagement.

Maintaining that pro-active diplomatic approach, Dar on Friday held separate telephonic conversations with the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers on the evolving regional situation. They all had underscored the importance of dialogue and collective efforts to promote peace, according to FO.

Dar also spoke with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, adding that the latter “extended his full support for Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in pursuit of peace and stability in the region”.

Speaking to FM Dar on Friday, his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had said that Beijing endorsed Pakistan’s role in talks and had conveyed to Tehran to join the negotiations as it was an opportune time with the US under pressure in the war, according to diplomatic sources.

The same day, in a phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah “fully endorsed” Pakistan’s mediation efforts, the premier’s office said.

Pakistan has taken centre-stage in a process to mediate between the US and Iran, being carried out in collaboration with Ankara and Cairo.

Dar confirmed on Thursday that “US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan”.

He further said a 15-point US framework had been shared and was under Iranian deliberation, while the “brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt” are supporting the effort.

Following reports of the US sending its proposal, Iranian media had quoted an official as outlining five conditions under which Tehran would agree to end the ongoing conflict.

Additional reporting by Ameer Hamza

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing Middle East hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation.

He made the remarks during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wherein the two discussed Iran’s retaliatory attacks sparked by the US-Israel military actions on February 28.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) about the phone call early this morning termed their conversation “warm and cordial”.

“While appreciating the leadership of the Kingdom for demonstrating remarkable restraint in the current crisis, the prime minister reassured His Royal Highness that Pakistan would always stand by the Kingdom and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia, just as they had always supported Pakistan, through thick and thin,” the PMO stated.

It further said that the prime minister “reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed, once again, Pakistan’s complete solidarity and unequivocal support for the kingdom and its people, in these challenging times”.

The prime minister called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to normalcy so that the regional situation could be stabilised. “He called for unity and harmony in the ranks of the Ummah, which was needed more than ever before,” PMO noted.

PM Shehbaz also briefed the Saudi crown prince on Pakistan’s “constructive diplomatic outreach to all parties urging de-escalation and resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy”.

“The crown prince deeply appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts. Both leaders agreed to maintain their close coordination between the two countries, at all levels,” the PMO said.

The premier conveyed his heartfelt Eidul Fitr greetings to the crown prince, to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.

These sentiments were “most graciously reciprocated by” the crown prince, the PMO statement added.

PM Shehbaz also posted on social media platform X about their conversation.

Reiterating the details, he said: “Appreciating the Kingdom’s restraint, I stressed the urgent need for de-escalation, an end to hostilities, and unity in the ranks of the Ummah.”

He further said, “We agreed to remain in close coordination.”

Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — are facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says are aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes.

The conversation between the prime minister and the Saudi crown prince comes amid Pakistan’s intensified efforts to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the ongoing war that has engulfed the Middle East.

On Tuesday, a day after a proposal was floated to hold Iran-US talks in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally pitched the federal capital as a potential venue for negotiations between Iranian and US officials.

The move followed reports that Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt had talked the US out of attacking Iranian energy infrastructure — a move that many fear would mark a dangerous escalation in the already-deadly conflict raging in West Asia.

On March 9, PM Shehbaz held a “restricted meeting” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a statement by the PM’s spokesperson.

During the meeting, the prime minister expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in these challenging times”, and both leaders agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.