Daijiworld Media Network - Islamabad
Islamabad, Mar 12: Shehbaz Sharif departed for a brief official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday amid heightened regional tensions and scrutiny over Islamabad’s defence agreement with the kingdom.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact in September last year, committing to support each other in the event of an attack by a third country. The agreement came at a time when Israel had launched operations targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar.
However, the geopolitical situation has since shifted after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran, which retaliated by targeting locations across the Gulf region.
The developments have raised questions over whether Pakistan would honour its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia, given its close ties and geographical proximity to Iran.
A day earlier, Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi said Pakistan would stand by Saudi Arabia “before it is needed.”
According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif is visiting the kingdom at the invitation of Mohammed bin Salman.
During the visit, Sharif is expected to hold talks with the Saudi crown prince to discuss the ongoing regional tensions, security concerns and bilateral relations between the two countries.
The PMO said the visit highlights Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement in the region and its efforts to promote dialogue amid the evolving crisis.
Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi confirmed that Sharif had left for a one-day trip to Saudi Arabia. He added that Ishaq Dar is accompanying the prime minister during the visit.
The spokesperson said the trip forms part of ongoing coordination between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on regional peace and security issues and should be viewed as part of broader diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue in the region.
The visit also follows a recent trip by Asim Munir, who travelled to Saudi Arabia on March 7 and held discussions with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud.