Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is facing economic and security challenges, is going to Saudi Arabia tomorrow on his first foreign tour of his second term.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Saudi Arabia from April 6-8 on his first foreign trip after the elections, the Pakistani Foreign Office said on Friday. During this he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Shehbaz Sharif’s Saudi visit is taking place at a time when on one hand there is tension with Iran on the Balochistan border and on the other hand attacks on Chinese citizens have intensified in Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia and Iran have a long history of acrimony, while Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (both Sunni countries) have strong relations.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have strong trade, defense and cultural ties. More than 27 lakh Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia and serve as a major source of income for cash-strapped Pakistan.
“The Prime Minister is expected to meet the Crown Prince and Prime Minister HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and discuss issues of mutual interest,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement announcing the PM’s visit. These leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments.”
Prime Minister Sharif will also be accompanied by the Ministers of Finance, Economic Affairs, Defense and Information. All of them will perform Umrah there and also offer prayers at Masjid Nabawi Al-Sharif in Madinah.
“The leadership of both the countries is committed to furthering brotherly ties and mutually rewarding economic and investment ties,” the Pak Foreign Ministry said.
The Saudi government has not yet commented on Shehbaz Sharif’s visit or its agenda. Sharif last visited Saudi Arabia in October 2022 during his first term as PM. He met the Crown Prince during the visit and also attended the Saudi Future Investment Initiative Summit.
It has been said in media reports that Saudi Arabia can invest about 1 billion dollars in Pakistan because at present the situation in Pakistan is very bad. Therefore, amidst economic poverty, Pakistan is seeing a ray of hope from Saudi Arabia.
Pakistani newspaper Tribune has quoted the Finance Ministry as saying that Saudi Arabia is going to invest about $ 1 billion in Reco Dick Copper Gold.
It is believed that this visit of Shehbaz Sharif is also an attempt to send a message to Iran that if it misbehaves, it may get a befitting reply from Saudi Arabia. Relations between Saudi and Iran have long been tense.