ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is due to leave for Saudi Arabia on Sunday on a two-day visit to discuss with the Saudi leadership bilateral matters particularly economic issues.

“Mr Gilani will pay a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia from Sunday,” the prime minister’s office said on Saturday. During his stay in the country the prime minister would call on King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

He is heading a brief entourage comprising Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Senior Minister for Industries Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

His visit comes close on the heels of President Zardari’s trip to Saudi Arabia late last month for easing tensions between Riyadh and Tehran.

But in contrast to Mr Zardari’s visit, which had a regional focus, officials said the prime minister would be discussing ways to strengthen bilateral ties.

Some of the issues that Mr Gilani intends to discuss with the Saudi leadership include oil facility, enhancing bilateral trade ties and matters pertaining to Pakistanis living in that country.

A press release about postponement of the prime minister’s meeting with parliamentarians suggested that the visit had been hurriedly planned.

An official, however, said it had been long scheduled and the dates had been fixed even before Mr Zardari’s trip. There has been a flurry of exchanges between Riyadh and Islamabad this year indicating return of warmth in their bilateral ties.

The two countries have not been enjoying the traditional warmth in their relationship since the PPP came to power in 2008.

However, the situation changed after the uprising in the Arab world when Pakistan, in more than one way, indicated its support for the status quo in some states of the region.