Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday visited a college in Riyadh where he praised advancements in higher education and discussed collaboration in the field, while also meeting officials at the Saudi directorate of passports to review facilities, Radio Pakistan reported.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have recently strengthened bilateral cooperation by signing more than 30 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements worth $2.8 billion, encompassing sectors such as industry, agriculture, information technology, and energy.

During today’s visit, Naqvi met with Dr Ali Al Duaij, the director general of the King Fahd Security College (KFSC), with whom he discussed conducting study tours and training for graduates of both countries.

“He visited different departments of the college and appreciated the quality of higher education”, Radio Pakistan said, adding that he also toured the Forensic Science Institute at the college.

“On the occasion, he was briefed that the college awards Masters’ degrees in artificial intelligence, leadership management, and security studies along with scholarships to international students,” the report said.

It further said Naqvi appreciated the five-year strategic plan and master’s programme, terming them compatible with the demands of the new era.

Last year, the kingdom said it would increase scholarships for Pakistani students as well as introduce an exchange programme for teachers to conduct research on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Visit to passports directorate

Naqvi also visited the Saudi Directorate of Passports where he was welcomed by the Acting Director General Dr Saleh Al Murabba.

In a post on X, the interior ministry stated that Naqvi visited various departments of the Directorate of Passports and inspected the call centre there.

Naqvi reviewed the advanced technology at the Directorate and held discussions on effective measures to simplify the passport collection and issuance process and prevent forgery, as well as e-gates.

The post further quoted Naqvi as saying, “The assistance of the Saudi Directorate of Passports could prove useful in making the passport system in Pakistan more simple and foolproof. Mutual cooperation will facilitate the public and will save them from fraud.”

It further said, “A call centre will also be set up in Pakistan based on the model of the Saudi Directorate of Passports. With the cooperation of Saudi Arabia, those who forge passports and alter documents can be caught in Pakistan itself.”

Yesterday, Naqvi met his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in a high-level meeting in Riyadh, where the two vowed to strengthen security cooperation.

Islamabad and Riyadh have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in mutual economic interests, strategic military cooperation, and shared Islamic heritage.

Naqvi’s visit comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this month, where he held meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and President of France Emmanuel Macron.

Earlier in the month, Saudi Arabia extended a $3b deposit placed with Pakistan for another year to continue bolstering the economy, the State Bank of Pakistan said.