Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday had a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan shortly after landing in Beijing, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In a post on X today, the FO stated that the pair “deliberated on the recent situation in the region” during the phone call.

This is their second call this week. During the earlier call, the two exchanged views on “the current regional situation and recent developments”.

“The DPM/FM welcomed the Saudi foreign ministry’s statement regarding Yemen and appreciated the efforts of all sides to resolve the regional situation amicably,” the FO stated.

Both nations have 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.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed a landmark mutual defence agreement in September this year, which outlined that an attack on one party would be treated as an attack on both.

Pakistan welcomes call by Yemeni leadership for talks

Meanwhile, the FO issued a statement on Saturday evening expressing Pakistan‘s support for Yemen’s “unity and territorial integrity”.

The statement said that Islamabad welcomed the call by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council to hold dialogue in Riyadh.

Pakistan also urged all stakeholders in Yemen to “engage in good faith toward a negotiated political solution based on agreed parameters”, added the statement.

“Pakistan reaffirms its steadfast support for the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen.”

The FO expressed Pakistan’s hope that, guided by the principles of unity and brotherhood, regional efforts will contribute to bringing lasting peace and stability in Yemen.

A day earlier, Yemen’s government launched an operation to take back military positions from southern separatists and said it had reclaimed one of the largest military camps in Hadramout province.

The operation in Hadramout marked the latest escalation in Yemen.