Pakistan hails ‘new era of strategic partnership’ with Kingdom
Saudi foreign minister holds talks with president on two-day visit aimed at boosting trade, investment
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Islamabad heralds a new era of strategic and commercial partnerships, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday.
Prince Faisal’s two-day visit at the head of a high-level delegation is aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and accelerating previously agreed investment deals. “Pakistan wants to further promote cooperation in the fields of trade and investment between the two countries,” Sharif said.
Pakistan was taking steps to promote foreign investment and make partnerships “mutually beneficial” for allies, and Islamabad was grateful to the Saudi leadership for increasing investment, he said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prince Faisal also met and restated their resolve to build a strong partnership and promote mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
Zardari said Pakistan was working to transform its long-standing and decades-old relationship with Riyadh into a “long-term strategic and economic partnership.”
The two men also discussed developments in the Middle East, and called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israeli air and ground offensives there. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to more than 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and the top source of their remittances home.
“We aim to transform our traditionally fraternal ties into a strategic and economic partnership,” Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said at a PakistanSaudi Arabia Investment Conference in Islamabad. “Your investments are not just financial commitments but are crucial in nurturing a deeply valued partnership,” the minister said.