Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday ahead of the Ninth Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh.

The premier, visiting Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the crown prince, is leading a high-level Pakistani delegation during the trip.

The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and PM’s aides Tariq Fatemi and Bilal Bin Saqib, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

A statement issued on social media platform X by state broadcaster PTV News said the meeting with the Saudi crown prince was held in a “cordial atmosphere”.

“Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. The joint statement of the meeting regarding discussions on promoting trade, investment, and cooperation in various sectors between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be issued shortly,” the statement said, adding that the meeting was attended by FM Dar, COAS Munir and senior cabinet members from both sides.

Late on Monday, the premier said it was a “great pleasure and honour” to meet the Saudi crown prince.

“We reaffirmed the enduring strength of the Pakistan–Saudi Arabia brotherly bonds and discussed ways to further expand this historic and time-tested partnership in trade, investment, and economic cooperation,” he said.

He stated that he was grateful for the Saudi crown prince’s “personal commitment and resolute support in advancing our shared vision for deeper collaboration and prosperity for our two nations and peoples”.

PM Shehbaz earlier arrived at the King Khalid International Airport where he was received by Riyadh Deputy Governor Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq.

The prime minister left for Riyadh earlier today from Lahore.

The invitation for the conference, signed by the crown prince, was given to PM Shehbaz in August by Ambassador of the King­dom of Saudi Arabia Naw­af bin Said Al-Malky.

The FII9 will convene global leaders, investors, policymakers, and innovators to explore the theme, “The Key to Prosperity: Unlocking New Frontiers of Growth”. Thematic discussions will address global challenges and opportunities, focusing on key topics such as innovation, sustainability, economic inclusion, and geopolitical shifts.

The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement yesterday that during his visit, the PM would engage with the Saudi leadership to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation in the trade, investment, energy, and human resource sectors.

“The discussions will also cover regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern,” it added.

On the sidelines of the summit, the PM will also interact with leaders from other participating countries and heads of international organisations.

The FO said these exchanges would highlight Pakistan’s investment potential and its readiness to pursue collaborations in sustainable development, in line with the “Think, Exchange, and Act” model.