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ISLAMABAD: Turkiye is reportedly seeking to join the mutual defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, potentially creating a new trilateral security alignment, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US-based news agency cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter, saying the talks are at an advanced stage and &ldquo;a deal is very likely.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to Bloomberg, Turkiye views joining the pact as a way to strengthen security and deterrence amid questions about the United States&#39; reliability and changing regional dynamics. The report noted that Turkiye&rsquo;s interests increasingly overlap with those of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.&nbsp;The story also referenced comments from Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist at Ankara-based think tank TEPAV, who highlighted the combined strengths of the three countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Riyadh brings financial clout, Islamabad its nuclear capability and manpower, while Turkiye contributes military experience and a developed defense industry,&rdquo; Ozcan told Bloomberg.&nbsp;&nbsp;The report added that the expanded alliance could shift regional and global security calculations, particularly as countries seek new mechanisms to identify friends and foes in a changing geopolitical environment.&nbsp;Bloomberg further noted that Turkiye has already been deepening defense ties with both countries, including constructing corvette warships for the Pakistan Navy, upgrading the Pakistan Air Force&rsquo;s F-16s, and sharing drone technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;The outlet added that Turkiye now aims to involve Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet program.&nbsp;Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pactThe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistansaudi-defense-pact-oozes-with-unknowns" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement</a>&nbsp;was signed in Riyadh in September 2025 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.&nbsp;Under the pact, any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. The agreement is part of a broader effort to strengthen military and strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Riyadh, which also includes economic assistance and energy support.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Bloomberg says Turkiye views joining the pact as a way to strengthen security and deterrence amid questions over the reliability of the United States and changing regional dynamics.

Turkiye joining Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact: Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed &ldquo;complete solidarity&rdquo; with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and urged all parties to maintain regional peace through dialogue during a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. PM&nbsp;Sharif and the Saudi&nbsp;crown prince reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between the two nations, according to a statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office. The call followed a statement earlier Wednesday from Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office regarding a resurgence of violence in Yemen. &ldquo;Pakistan expresses complete solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its commitment to the security of the Kingdom,&rdquo; the Foreign Office statement said. Pakistan reiterated its support for Yemen&#39;s unity and territorial integrity and called for a de-escalation of tensions. &ldquo;Pakistan maintains its firm support for the resolution of the Yemen issue through dialogue and diplomacy,&rdquo; the statement said. The Foreign Office also expressed hope that Yemen&rsquo;s people and regional powers would work together toward an &ldquo;inclusive and enduring settlement of the issue, safeguarding regional stability.&rdquo;

PM Sharif pledges solidarity with Saudi Arabia, while urging a diplomatic solution in Yemen during a call with the crown prince.

Pakistan expresses ‘solidarity’ with Saudi Arabia, urges regional peace and stability

Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Saudi Arabia has agreed to extend the maturity of its $3 billion deposit placed with the central bank for another year, offering critical support to Pakistan&rsquo;s fragile external account, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Thursday. In a statement, SBP said the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has rolled over the deposit initially due to mature on December 8 for a further 12 months. &ldquo;The extension of the term of the deposit is a continuation of the support provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which will help strengthen Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign exchange reserves and contribute to the country&rsquo;s economic growth and development,&rdquo; the SBP noted. The $3 billion deposit was originally signed in 2021, and later rolled over in 2022, 2023, and 2024, making this the fourth extension.&nbsp; Last week, the SBP reported that its foreign exchange reserves increased slightly by $9 million, reaching $14.560 billion as of the week ending November 21. However, Pakistan&rsquo;s total liquid reserves fell to $19.605 billion, down from $19.738 billion, due to a decline in commercial banks&rsquo; foreign currency holdings, which dropped from $5.186 billion to $5.044 billion. Saudi Arabia has historically been one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most reliable partners, extending support in the form of oil on deferred payments, guarantees for international lenders including the International Monetary Fund, and recurring deposit rollovers to stabilize Pakistan&rsquo;s external sector. With over 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates working in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia remains Pakistan&rsquo;s largest source of remittances. Following a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the FII9 Conference in Riyadh, the two countries strengthened their strategic cooperation after signing a defense pact.&nbsp;

State Bank says deposit’s term extension is a continuation of support provided by Saudi Arabia; will help strengthen Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves, contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.

Saudi Arabia extends $3B deposit with Pakistan for another year

ISLAMABAD: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday had a detailed discussion with Saudi Sport Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal on promoting cricket in Saudi Arabia and creating new avenues for youth engagement and talent development. In a post on X, the ACC president, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board, said that he &ldquo;deeply appreciate(s)&rdquo; the way he was driving &ldquo;Crown Prince&rsquo;s Vision 2030&rdquo; and has secured &ldquo;major global events&rdquo; for the Middle Eastern country.<iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993464414255656984&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9286fbe81e9d05f60b48397e3d0fa3a190e49ffb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe><div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"> </div>The events include the Asian Football Confederation&rsquo;s (AFC) Asian Cup, 2027, the Asian Winter Games 2029, the Asian Games 2034, and the FIFA World Cup 2034. &quot;Looking forward to building this partnership for our young people and for the region,&quot; Naqvi said. Naqvi had also met the&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, Prince Saud bin Mishal Al Saud, last year, where the pair&nbsp;discussed avenues for cricket development and player training in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, had said earlier that the country was determined to deliver &ldquo;the most exciting World Cup ever hosted&rdquo; when it stages the tournament in 2034.

Cricket

ACC president deeply appreciates leading “Crown Prince’s Vision 2030”, says looking forward to “building this partnership for young people and for the region.

Islamabad, Riyadh discuss promoting cricket in Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Police and paramilitary force training dominated security discussions between Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, during talks in Riyadh, the Pakistani interior minister said on Tuesday. According to the statement released on Naqvi&rsquo;s WhatsApp Channel, the two sides agreed to launch a training exchange program for police and paramilitary personnel, alongside broader cooperation on security matters between the interior ministries of both countries. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides and formed part of a series of high-level engagements aimed at strengthening defense and security ties. The statement said the two ministers also decided that a working group meeting of the interior ministries would convene next month. During the talks, &ldquo;the long-standing issue of the legal status of Burmese Muslims was also discussed,&rdquo; the statement said. It added that the Saudi minister expressed his appreciation to Naqvi &ldquo;for resolving the issue of Burmese Muslims.&rdquo; Prince Abdulaziz also offered condolences over this week&rsquo;s suicide attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, which left three paramilitary personnel martyred. Naqvi, as quoted in the statement, described Saudi Arabia as &ldquo;a second home to every Pakistani&rdquo; and said the country was proud of its &ldquo;enduring relations with Saudi Arabia.&rdquo; The meeting follows a sustained uptick in Pakistan&ndash;Saudi security engagement. In September, the two countries signed a defense pact, building on decades of military cooperation. Earlier this month, Pakistan army&rsquo;s Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Syed Aamer Raza held high-level talks in Riyadh with his Saudi counterpart Gen. Fayyadh Bin Hameed Al-Ruwaily. Gen. Al-Ruwaily met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday, where he reiterated the Kingdom&rsquo;s intent to elevate the &ldquo;excellent defense and strategic partnership&rdquo; with Pakistan.

Saudi minister offers condolences to families of soldiers martyred in attack on FC headquarters in Peshawar. Naqvi says Middle Eastern country like a “second home to every Pakistani,” country is proud of their “enduring relations with Saudi Arabia.”

Police, paramilitary training tops agenda in Pakistan–Saudi security talks

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.

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

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, said an official statement issued on Monday. The meeting, which comes on the sidelines of the ninth Future Investment Initiative (FII9), took place in a warm and cordial atmosphere, where both leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, including trade, investment, and enhanced cooperation across various sectors, according to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO). The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and other senior members of the cabinet. The two sides discussed a range of proposals aimed at taking Pakistan-Saudi Arabia economic cooperation to new heights, while also reviewing the overall regional situation, the statement said. A joint statement is expected soon, outlining key agreements and new initiatives to strengthen bilateral collaboration, it added. PM Sharif is on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia to attend the ninth Future Investment Initiative. The visit follows an invitation from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. <div class="fr-embed"><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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; 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=1982812930434281855&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F1717%2F&sessionId=585b45e7397e26ce1fae37d51b8d3831be2af4d7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div></div> Earlier, PM Sharif was received at King Khalid International Airport by Riyadh&rsquo;s Deputy Governor, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior officials. In a post on his X account, PM Sharif later said that it was a pleasure and honor to meet Saudi Crown Prince Salman.&nbsp; &quot;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,&quot; the prime minister said. He expressed his deep gratitude to the Crown Prince for his personal commitment and resolute support in advancing the shared vision for deeper collaboration and prosperity.&nbsp; Future Investment Initiative This year&#39;s FII focuses on &ldquo;The Key to Prosperity: Unlocking New Frontiers of Growth.&rdquo; The event brings together global leaders, investors, policymakers, and innovators to discuss opportunities and challenges around innovation, sustainability, economic inclusion, and geopolitical shifts. During his visit, PM Sharif is to meet with Saudi leaders to expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and human resources. Discussions will also cover regional and global issues of mutual concern. On the sidelines, the Pakistani PM will meet leaders from other countries and international organizations to highlight the country&#39;s investment potential and commitment to sustainable development under the &ldquo;Think, Exchange, and Act&rdquo; framework.

Both leaders discuss matters of mutual interest, including trade, investment, and enhanced cooperation across various sectors.

PM Sharif meets Saudi Crown Prince ahead of Future Investment Initiative conference

Maham Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hosted two high-level Saudi delegations on Wednesday in a series of meetings that underscored the deepening partnership between Islamabad and Riyadh, marking a renewed phase of strategic, economic, and parliamentary cooperation between the two long-standing allies.&nbsp;The first visit, led by Prince Mansour bin Muhammad bin Saad Al Saud, chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council (JBC), focused on strengthening economic linkages and investment collaboration across key sectors. The second delegation, headed by Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, highlighted growing institutional and parliamentary engagement between the two nations.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a banquet in honor of the Saudi business delegation led by Prince Mansour, commending the Kingdom&rsquo;s enduring support for Pakistan and reaffirming Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to deepening bilateral economic relations, his office said in a statement.&nbsp;PM Sharif said the visit represented &ldquo;a formalization of our long-standing brotherly ties,&rdquo; emphasizing that Saudi Arabia &ldquo;has always stood by Pakistan through thick and thin&rdquo; and remains a trusted partner in every era.&nbsp;Reflecting on his recent visit to Riyadh, the prime minister praised Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s transformation under the leadership of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, noting that Pakistan &ldquo;is eager to learn, collaborate, and grow together&rdquo; with the Kingdom.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have gathered with our Saudi brothers to strengthen business ties, promote trade, and explore joint ventures,&rdquo; he added, underscoring the mutual vision for shared prosperity.&nbsp;The Saudi&ndash;Pakistan Joint Business Council meeting, organized in collaboration with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Ministry of Commerce, brought together leading Saudi investors and Pakistani business leaders, the SIFC said.&nbsp;Discussions centered on trade, energy, minerals, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure &mdash; sectors identified as priorities under Pakistan&rsquo;s investment-led growth strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.&nbsp;During the meeting, government officials briefed the Saudi side on Pakistan&rsquo;s evolving investment climate and recent reforms aimed at ensuring transparency and predictability for investors, the statement added.&nbsp;The SIFC also hosted a dedicated session detailing sector-specific opportunities, particularly in the energy, mining, real estate, and technology sectors.&nbsp;Prince Mansour praised Pakistan&rsquo;s investment facilitation framework and reaffirmed Riyadh&rsquo;s commitment to long-term economic engagement, the SIFC said.&nbsp;The statement quoted Prince Mansour as saying that Pakistan is &ldquo;an important regional partner with strong potential in agriculture, mining, energy, and technology,&rdquo; adding that the Saudi&ndash;Pakistan Joint Business Council remains one of the most successful bilateral business forums globally.&nbsp;The Saudi delegation is also scheduled to visit Karachi and Lahore to meet provincial leaders and major business houses, exploring opportunities for joint ventures and public&ndash;private partnerships.&nbsp;Parallel to the business-focused engagements, Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi Shura Council, met Prime Minister Sharif in Islamabad to discuss avenues for closer parliamentary and institutional cooperation, the PMO said.&nbsp;The meeting underscored the shared commitment to strengthening legislative collaboration and policy dialogue between the two nations&rsquo; representative bodies.&nbsp;Officials described both visits as complementary pillars of a broader effort to transform Pakistan&ndash;Saudi relations into a multidimensional partnership encompassing economic, institutional, and strategic cooperation. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/54731148-710b-48dd-b31b-c563731b577a.jpeg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> &nbsp;Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who also received Prince Mansour and his delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign office said, expressed satisfaction at the &ldquo;growing momentum in bilateral economic relations&rdquo; and reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s readiness to facilitate Saudi investments.&nbsp;This week&rsquo;s engagements mark a significant milestone in the evolving partnership between Riyadh and Islamabad, aligning Pakistan&rsquo;s development agenda with Saudi Arabia&#39;s transformative vision for economic diversification.&nbsp;As the two delegations concluded their engagements in Islamabad, both sides reaffirmed their shared resolve to translate historic fraternal ties into a future-oriented economic partnership.

Economy

Islamabad hosted two high-level Saudi delegations to strengthen economic, strategic, and parliamentary ties. Meetings focused on trade, investment, and institutional cooperation, aligning Pakistan’s development agenda with Saudi Vision 2030 for mutual growth and regional prosperity.

Saudi delegations bolster strategic, economic, and parliamentary ties with Pakistan

PARIS: The new mutual defense pact signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia this month surprised many and came just days after the Gulf region was rattled by Israeli strikes on a Hamas compound in Qatar.&nbsp;The agreement comes at an especially volatile time in the wake of both Iranian and Israeli strikes on Doha, uncertainty over the future of Tehran&#39;s nuclear program, and clashes between India and Pakistan in May.&nbsp;&quot;Even those accustomed to dramatic developments in the Middle East and South Asia were caught off guard by the announcement,&quot; said Joshua White from the Brookings Institution.&nbsp;While the agreement follows decades of close military ties between the countries, questions over its exact parameters, particularly any potential nuclear dimensions, remain unanswered.&nbsp;Historical ties&quot;The pact clearly formalizes and deepens decades of Saudi-Pakistani security and defense cooperation, building on a landmark 1982 protocol agreement,&quot; said White, which saw a significant deployment of Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;&quot;There are a large number of Saudi military personnel who have been trained by Pakistanis, and there are Pakistani officers seconded within the Saudi Ministry of Defense,&quot; added Camille Lons, a Gulf expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.&nbsp;According to Lons, the pact likely resulted from lengthy negotiations.&nbsp;&quot;We must be cautious in linking it directly to recent developments in the region, although the broader analysis that sees it as a response to growing Israeli power in the region and Saudi doubts about American security guarantees remains valid,&quot; she told AFP.&nbsp;For Syed Ali Zia Jaffery from the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, &quot;Pakistan will find this agreement as a way to show its growing importance in the security architecture of the Middle East,&quot; while Saudi Arabia, which has long relied on US muscle, &quot; is looking to diversify its sources of security&quot;.&nbsp;What about the nukes?Pakistan is believed to have around 170 nuclear warheads, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, but how they factor into the deal remains ambiguous.&nbsp;There has been no official statement from either side about the establishment of a nuclear umbrella.&nbsp;To date, only two such agreements exist: the US nuclear umbrella covering its European allies and Russia protecting Belarus.&nbsp;Several Saudi and Pakistani voices have hinted at this possibility.&nbsp;Saudi Arabia included &quot;conventional and non-conventional means in the treaty text,&quot; a retired Saudi general told AFP, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the topic.&nbsp;&quot;We made it very clear and written that it includes the Pakistani nuclear weapons,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Saudi analyst Ali Shihabi, known to be close to the royal court, also told AFP that &quot;nuclear is an integral part of this agreement&quot;.&nbsp;Regional experts, however, have asserted that the situation is far from clear.&nbsp;&quot;Pakistan does not have any nuclear umbrella and there is just no evidence to suggest that Pakistan plans on providing one to Saudi Arabia,&quot; said Jaffery.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan&#39;s nuclear doctrine, policy, posture, strategy, and capabilities are only India-centric.&quot;&nbsp;Others suggested a lack of clarity on the issue may be intentional.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s impossible to know the details of any potential arrangement in this area,&quot; added Bruno Tertrais from the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris, &quot;because that&#39;s part of deterrence: what&#39;s often referred to as strategic ambiguity.&quot;&nbsp;And India?Saudi Arabia maintains good relations with Delhi, Pakistan&#39;s main rival.&nbsp;India&#39;s rapidly developing economy relies heavily on petroleum imports, with Saudi Arabia ranked as its third-largest supplier according to the Indian foreign ministry.&nbsp;&quot;Would Saudi Arabia get involved in an escalation between Pakistan and India? I don&#39;t think so. That would go completely against the kind of diplomacy Saudi Arabia is trying to pursue &mdash; which, like India, is one of multi-alignment,&quot; explained Lons.&nbsp;The signing of the pact comes just months after Pakistan and India fought an intense four-day conflict &mdash; one of the worst crises between the arch rivals in decades.&nbsp;So how would Saudi Arabia react to renewed hostilities?&nbsp;&quot;Riyadh&#39;s instinct would be to stay passive, preserving hard-won trade equities with India while honoring its security obligations to Pakistan,&quot; said White.&nbsp;&quot;That balance will now be harder to sustain.&quot;

The agreement follows decades of close military ties between the countries.

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