Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has confirmed that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are ready to finalise and sign a comprehensive economic package under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The prime minister passed the remarks during a telephonic conversation with MBS on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The call came against the backdrop of strengthening ties between the two countries. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) in September last year, which treats an attack on either nation as an act of aggression against both. In April this year, Pakistan received $3 billion from the Saudi Ministry of Finance, while Riyadh also extended its existing $5 billion financial facility for another three years.
During the call, PM Shehbaz also congratulated MBS on the signing of the Islamabad Peace Deal and credited Saudi Arabia’s role in bringing it about. “It was only with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong support, as well as the support of other Gulf states, that the peace deal between Iran and the US was signed within a few months,” the PM’s office quoted him as saying.
MBS, in turn, congratulated PM Shehbaz and praised the efforts of Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, whose role he said was central to the successful signing of the peace deal.
Both leaders agreed that the next phase of Iran-US negotiations should proceed through dialogue and diplomacy, and stressed the need for vigilance against any attempts to derail the process.
PM Shehbaz also reiterated his invitation to MBS to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.
