Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will depart from Islamabad for Jeddah today on official visits to Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Qatar, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake official visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkiye from 15–18 April,” the FO said in a statement posted to social media platform X.
The premier will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz will hold a meeting with top Saudi leadership including Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman.
After his trip to Saudi Arabia, he will visit Turkiye and meet with Turkish leadership, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will also visit Qatar.
The FO added in its statement that the purpose of the bilateral meetings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar would be to “discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security”.
In Turkiye, he will participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum and present Pakistan’s position in the Leaders’ Panel along with other world leaders, the FO added.
“Pakistan’s participation in the forum reflects its continued commitment to constructive diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and meaningful engagement with the international community on issues of global importance,” the FO statement said.
The premier will also be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Fatemi, as well as other senior officials.
Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — are facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says are aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes. Pakistan has intensified efforts to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the ongoing war that has engulfed the Middle East.
Last month, PM Shehbaz hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation.
On March 9, PM Shehbaz held a “restricted meeting” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a statement by the PM’s spokesperson.
During the meeting, the prime minister expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in these challenging times”, and both leaders agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad.
Earlier today, the finance ministry announced that Saudi Arabia has pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits for Pakistan and has extended its existing $5 billion facility for a further three years.
The ministry further stated that the existing $5 billion Saudi deposit would no longer be subject to the previous annual rollover arrangement and would instead be extended for a longer term.
On April 11, the Saudi defence ministry confirmed that Pakistan has sent a military force and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to boost security under a joint defence cooperation agreement between the two countries.
In September of last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.
