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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, briefing him on Islamabad&rsquo;s diplomatic efforts for regional peace and stability.&nbsp;In a statement on X, the prime minister said, &quot;We agreed to remain in close coordination.&rdquo; He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;strong condemnation of the attacks on the Kingdom&rdquo; during the recent escalations in the Middle East.<div class="fr-embed"> </div><div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2036666106379923927&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=8aef35655681d935007d2517e17b1c834b51d6b6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering solidarity&rdquo; and support for Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;&ldquo;I reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the recent attacks on the Kingdom and reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s unwavering solidarity and unequivocal support for Saudi Arabia in these challenging times,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;While appreciating the Kingdom&rsquo;s restraint against the attacks, the prime minister stressed the &ldquo;urgent need&rdquo; for de-escalation, an end to hostilities, and unity in the ranks of the Ummah.&nbsp;The prime minister also conveyed Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Royal Family, and the people of Saudi Arabia, as per the statement.&nbsp;The statement comes on the heels of an earlier one from the prime minister on Tuesday, in which he said that Islamabad is prepared to host talks to help resolve the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.&nbsp;&ldquo;Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,&rdquo; the premier had said.

Foreign Affairs

The prime minister reiterates Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the recent attacks on the Kingdom and reaffirms unwavering solidarity and unequivocal support for Saudi Arabia

PM Shehbaz briefs Saudi Crown Prince on regional peace efforts, agrees to remain in close coordination

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Former Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Dr Ali Awadh Asseri has hoped that consultations between the leadership of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would yield positive results not only for the two countries but also for the wider region. Speaking on Pakistan TV&rsquo;s programme The Newsroom, Dr Asseri, while referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, said the engagement was particularly significant given the challenging situation in the region.&nbsp; He expressed optimism that high-level engagement between their leadership would contribute to regional peace and stability. The former envoy said relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia remained unique, profound and durable.&nbsp; &ldquo;I have no illusion whatsoever that the visit of the prime minister and the consultation between the two leaderships will achieve good, hopefully peace and tranquility for both nations to begin with and for the whole region,&rdquo; he said. Dr Asseri said Pakistan-Saudi relations had deep historical roots and continued to grow stronger with successive governments in both countries.&nbsp; &ldquo;The unique thing about this relationship is that it is a people-to-people relationship, and that is what makes it special,&rdquo; he said, adding that while leaders may change, the relationship continues to be reinforced by new leadership in both countries. Highlighting the scope of cooperation between the two countries, Dr Asseri said the relationship encompassed economic and military cooperation, including a defence pact.&nbsp; He also pointed to the presence of around 2.5 million Pakistanis living and working in Saudi Arabia as a key pillar of bilateral ties. The former ambassador also stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in the region.&nbsp; He said Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries had supported dialogue between the United States and Iran, facilitated by Oman&rsquo;s foreign minister, in the hope that it would yield positive results. He said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other GCC states were keen to see tensions reduced as the conflict served neither the Islamic world&rsquo;s interests nor the global economy, particularly amid disruptions to global oil supplies and rising prices.

The Newsroom

Former Saudi ambassador Dr Ali Awadh Asseri said Pakistan-Saudi leadership consultations, including Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, could strengthen bilateral ties, reduce regional tensions, and promote peace, stability, dialogue, and cooperation.

Consultations between Pakistan, Saudi leaderships to yield positive results for wider region: former envoy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday emphasized the need for global solidarity and shared progress while outlining Pakistan&rsquo;s economic reform efforts during his address at the Ninth Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh. Sharif opened his remarks by expressing gratitude for the invitation and praised the leadership of Saudi crown prince. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to congratulate my very dear brother, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for this wonderful event which symbolizes his leadership and his vision to transform societies like he has done in Saudi Arabia,&rdquo; he said. The prime minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s economic journey since independence, acknowledging past missteps while reaffirming the country&rsquo;s commitment to change. &ldquo;We have made very honest mistakes and we have learned from our mistakes,&rdquo; Sharif said. &ldquo;Important thing is to learn from your mistakes. That&rsquo;s what we are doing.&rdquo; He noted Pakistan was currently implementing &ldquo;robust changes and deep-rooted reforms,&rdquo; including digitization of the Federal Board of Revenue and strong action against corruption. &ldquo;Rome was not built overnight,&rdquo; he added, emphasizing that structural reforms take time. Sharif also pointed to Pakistan&rsquo;s large youth population, nearly 60% of citizens, as both a challenge and an opportunity. &ldquo;We are offering them training, skill training&hellip; for productive employment,&rdquo; he said. However, Sharif said Pakistan continues to face significant climate vulnerability, despite contributing &ldquo;less than a fraction of one percent&rdquo; to global emissions. Recalling the devastating 2022 floods and subsequent disasters, he said the country suffered $130 billion in economic losses. &ldquo;Large swathes of our land was under water. Crops were destroyed. Millions of houses were destroyed,&rdquo; he said. He argued that repeated reliance on loans to rebuild is unsustainable. &ldquo;Loans over loans, loans over loans, your back will break and you will never be able to stand up,&rdquo; Sharif said. &ldquo;This is not acceptable.&rdquo; Calling for collective global support, Sharif said climate-affected nations must not be left to recover alone. &ldquo;If humanity has to move forward, it has to move forward in unison,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Share modern technologies with those countries which can use those technologies and grow their production.&rdquo; Despite the challenges, Sharif closed on a message of resolve. &ldquo;We are resolved by the grace of God,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We will turn Pakistan as one of the most going countries through hard work&hellip; and make our country stand in the community of nations like a very honorable country.&rdquo; Iran welcomes Pakistan-Saudi Arabia strategic agreementLate on Tuesday, the head of Iran&rsquo;s top security body, Ali Larijani, said that &ldquo;it was a matter of joy for us&rdquo; that a strategic agreement has been finalized between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, stating that the Muslim community needed this &ldquo;brotherhood.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1983247422542233773&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=348a8707f81577bf1f210f674a0762aeef3548a0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1983247422542233773"></iframe></div></div> &ldquo;We need action and cooperation, not speeches, to resolve the region&#39;s issues,&rdquo; Iran&#39;s Supreme National Security Council secretary said in a post on X. &nbsp;&ldquo;This agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflects that very spirit, and we welcome it.&rdquo; Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to launch several strategic and high-impact projects under a new Economic Cooperation Framework aimed at strengthening trade and investment relations.

Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative, PM Shehbaz Sharif stresses reforms, youth potential, and climate vulnerability, urging global cooperation beyond loans to support Pakistan’s growth.

Articles tagged with "Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman"

PM Shehbaz briefs Saudi Crown Prince on regional peace efforts, agrees to remain in close coordination

Consultations between Pakistan, Saudi leaderships to yield positive results for wider region: former envoy

At Riyadh summit, Pakistan PM presses for shared growth, not more loans