Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Tuesday evening met Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and conveyed his wishes and support for the newly elected Pakistani government, the military's media wing said.

According to a tweet by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Wednesday, the crown prince had invited the army chief for a meeting, followed by dinner, in Mina.

"Both discussed wide-ranging issues of mutual interest including regional security," the tweet said.

Prince Salman expressed "strong optimism" about Pakistan's ability to defeat the challenges at hand, a second tweet said, without elaborating.

"[The] Crown prince also expressed his best wishes & support to the newly elected government."

According to the ISPR chief, Prince Salman also congratulated Gen Bajwa on performing Haj while the army chief thanked the former for his wishes and support for Pakistan.

The meeting comes days after Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and the crown prince congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan on his party’s victory in last month’s general elections.

The Saudi king had conveyed to Khan best wishes from the kingdom and its people for the progress and prosperity of the people of Pakistan.

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki was the first diplomat to have met Khan even when the poll results were still pouring in.

During his meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost, the PTI chief had offered mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia to resolve differences between the two countries.

Welcoming the offer, the Iranian envoy had termed the situation in the region sensitive and said: “Iran will welcome any proposal from Pakistan aimed at bringing peace to the region.”

Opinion

Editorial

Debt that stays
30 Jul, 2026

Debt that stays

THE power sector’s circular debt grew by Rs61bn in the last fiscal year, taking the total to roughly Rs1.67tr from...
HIV warning
30 Jul, 2026

HIV warning

THE HIV infections detected around two SESSI-run hospitals in Karachi demand far more than another hurried committee...
End trafficking
30 Jul, 2026

End trafficking

MODERN slavery, in the form of human trafficking, is among the state’s gravest failures. Scores of Pakistanis are...
AJK elections
29 Jul, 2026

AJK elections

CONSIDERING the political unrest that has rocked Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past, free and fair general...
Still vulnerable
29 Jul, 2026

Still vulnerable

THE State Bank’s decision to hold the policy rate at 11.5pc is a prudent response to the heightened risks the...
Guarding the past
29 Jul, 2026

Guarding the past

THE return of 513 smuggled archaeological artefacts from the US is a welcome homecoming for objects that should ...