RIYADH: Veteran Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal is to travel to Pakistan on Monday to hold wide-ranging consultations with top Pakistani leaders on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern, Saudi daily Arab News reported on Thursday.

“The focus of the talks will be mainly on a roadmap for collaboration and cooperation with an aim to further strengthen strategic relations,” a reliable diplomatic source told the newspaper.

When asked about the minister’s meetings with top Pakistani leaders, the source said: “Relations between the two nations have been close historically, and the visit by Prince Saud will further deepen ties.”

Prince Saud is expected to discuss regional security and the Middle East and international issues with the Pakistani leadership.

The Saudi foreign minister was invited to Islamabad after he met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly in New York last year.

The visit of Prince Saud with more than a dozen top Saudi officials is also significant in view of the deadlock on Syria, the situation in Afghanistan and Iran’s recent agreement with world powers, the Arab News said.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are leading members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Saudi Arabia, which hosts about 1.5 million Pakistani workers, is the largest source of oil for Pakistan.