ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday appreciated outgoing Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki for his contribution to strengthening the longstanding fraternal and strategic ties between Islamabad and Riyadh.
During Al-Malki’s farewell call at the Presidency, President Zardari praised his “dedicated service” and the friendship, warmth and cooperation he extended to Pakistan during his tenure, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat.
The president said Al-Malki had played an important role in “advancing bilateral relations, particularly in the political, economic and trade spheres.”
President Zardari said Pakistan deeply valued its “time-tested friendship and strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia and appreciated the Kingdom’s steadfast support for Pakistan.
He expressed confidence that the “strong foundation” laid during Al-Malki’s tenure would continue to guide bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.
The president wished the outgoing ambassador success in his future endeavors, saying Pakistan would “always remain his second home.”
Al-Malki’s diplomatic tenure
Al-Malki has served as Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Pakistan since September 2017, making him one of the Kingdom’s longest-serving envoys in Islamabad.
Born in Riyadh in 1970, he served in the Royal Saudi Navy and rose to the rank of rear admiral before moving into diplomacy, according to Saudi publication Arab News.
He was appointed Saudi military attaché at the Kingdom's embassy in Islamabad in 2014, three years before becoming ambassador.
His tenure as ambassador coincided with intensified political engagement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and a broadening of bilateral cooperation across defense, security, trade, investment and regional affairs.
The two countries have continued to describe their relationship as a longstanding strategic partnership rooted in mutual trust, brotherhood and shared interests. In September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, under which aggression against either country would be considered aggression against both.
Who is the new Saudi ambassador to Pakistan?
Saudi Arabia has appointed Dr Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami as its new ambassador to Pakistan, succeeding Al-Malki as the two countries further expand their strategic partnership.
Al-Baqami, a retired Saudi major general, was among eight newly appointed Saudi ambassadors who took the oath of office before Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
He subsequently joined the Saudi Foreign Ministry with the rank of ambassador and holds a doctorate in Human Resource Management from Brunel University London.
His appointment comes as Islamabad and Riyadh continue to strengthen cooperation across defense, security, investment, trade and regional affairs.
The transition follows a period of particularly close engagement between the two countries, including high-level political and security exchanges and expanded Saudi investment initiatives in Pakistan.
Al-Malki's departure marks the conclusion of a nearly nine-year ambassadorial tenure during which Pakistan-Saudi relations continued to evolve into a broader strategic partnership, while Al-Baqami assumes the post at a time of expanding cooperation between the longtime allies.