Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir to visit Saudi Arabia Aug 6-8

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir will begin a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday as Islamabad looks to strengthen its strategic partnership with Riyadh amid escalating tensions in West Asia.Pakistan last week said it is “doing its utmost” to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18.Sharif will lead a high-level delegation during the Aug 6-8 visit. Besides Munir, the delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other federal ministers, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on X.Dar, who concluded a visit to Jordan after attending a ministerial meeting on Jerusalem, is already in Saudi Arabia and will join Sharif's delegation there, the FO said. PR No. 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣Curtain Raiser: Prime Minister of Pakistan’s Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(06-08 August 2026)⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dHwY66N2Dp— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 6, 2026Sharif to meet Saudi Crown Prince“During the visit, the prime minister will meet the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions would focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relationship and exchange views on areas of regional and international developments of mutual interests,” the statement said.The FO said the visit reflected the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, built on decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood.“Although taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit carries significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations. It will further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation,” the FO said.The visit comes as the conflict in West Asia has expanded across multiple fronts, prompting Gulf states to strengthen regional security coordination.Arunachal Pradesh Shaken By Series Of Earthquakes, 5.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Upper SiangMaritime security, defence ties in focusOn July 30, Saudi Arabia proposed a Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition (MMDC) to protect commercial shipping lanes and critical energy supply routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, expressed support for the initiative, reflecting growing concerns over the security of one of the world's most important maritime corridors, according to reports.Islamabad also reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and stressed the need to maintain the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb.Pakistan and Saudi Arabia strengthened their defence relationship last year by signing a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, which became operational earlier this year.Its implementation coincided with Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to facilitate talks between Iran and the US, as Islamabad sought to balance its close strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia while keeping communication channels open with Tehran.Under the defence framework, Pakistan has deployed military personnel and aircraft to Saudi Arabia for joint training, defence cooperation and the kingdom's security requirements.Also Watch:Saudi financial support for PakistanSaudi Arabia is also an important source of financial support for Pakistan, which relies on loans from the kingdom to stabilise its economy.According to a provisional foreign economic assistance report by Pakistan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, Saudi Arabia extended a fresh $3 billion loan in deposits and extended a $5 billion facility for another three years in 2025/26.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday left for a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will be accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. In a post on X, the government said that the premier has left for the visit at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Apart from CDF Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi will also accompany the premier on the visit. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia after concluding a visit to Jordan, will be part of the delegation as well. The premier will also perform Umrah and visit Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque in Madina during the visit, the government said. Earlier, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi announced the visit in a weekly briefing. “During the visit, the prime minister will meet the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and discussions will focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relationship and exchange views on areas of regional and international developments of mutual interests,” he said. He stressed that the visit marked Pakistan’s “long-standing partnership” with Saudi Arabia, which he said was “anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood”. Andrabi noted that while the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, he said that “it will carry immense significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations”. He added that the visit will “further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation”. Shortly after, an official statement regarding the visit was also issued. The premier had last visited Saudi Arabia in April, meeting with the kingdom’s top leadership. As the Middle East conflict has expanded across new fronts, Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, have voiced support for the coalition. In July, Pakistan also endorsed Saudi Arabia’s air strikes in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defence. The remarks came two days after Saudi Arabia and the US carried out coordinated strikes against installations of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Units, accusing elements within the umbrella force of launching attacks on Saudi oil facilities. The remarks followed Pakistan’s earlier warning after Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade targeting shipping linked to Saudi Arabia. Islamabad had then described attacks on Pakistani maritime interests as a “red line”, warning that any hostile action against Pakistani-flagged vessels or commercial shipping would be treated as an attack on Pakistan. The country also simultaneously reaffirmed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb. Last year, Islamabad and Riyadh concluded a Strategic Mutual Defence Agree­ment, which became operational earlier this year as Pakistan simultaneously embarked on a diplomatic effort to mediate between Iran and the United States.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, alongside Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, will undertake a visit to Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday. In a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the two will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia after concluding a visit to Jordan. “During the visit, the prime minister will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and discussions will focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relationship and exchange views on areas of regional and international developments of mutual interests,” he said. He stressed that the visit marked Pakistan’s “long-standing partnership” with Saudi Arabia, which he said was “anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood”. Andrabi noted that while the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, he said that “it will carry immense significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations”. He added that the visit will “further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation”. Shortly after, an official statement regarding the visit was also issued. More to follow