Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, held talks in Jeddah early on Saturday with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Discussions focused on the depth of Saudi-Pakistani ties and the importance of expanding and intensifying their coordination and cooperation in various fields. They also tackled regional and international issues of interest.
They capped off their extensive talks with the signing of the arrangement to establish the Saudi-Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council.
Khan hailed the leading role played by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in bolstering Islamic unity and the Kingdom’s positive role in resolving issues facing the Islamic nation and its efforts to ensure regional and international security and peace.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Khan discussed means to bolster economic and trade relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and explored opportunities for investment in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. They underscored the military and security ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and agreed to deepen them further to achieve joint goals.
They stressed the need for Islamic efforts to combat extremism, violence and terrorism and shunning sectarianism.
They also expressed their full support to the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, starting with the establishment of an independent state according to the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Khan welcomed the Kingdom’s recently launched Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives. Announced by Crown Prince Mohammed, the initiatives reflect Saudi Arabia’s leading role on the international arena, including combating climate change.
The meeting was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior; Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense; Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and Advisor of National Security; Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media; Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki, the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan.
On the Pakistani side, the meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi; Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa; Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed; Secretary to the Foreign Minister Sohail Mahmood; Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Climate Affairs Amin Aslam; Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia Lt. Gen. Bilal Akbar; Secretary to the Army Chief Major Gen. Mohammad Irfan; and Military Secretary to the Prime Minister Brigadier Mohammad Ahmed.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Khan oversaw the signing of two agreements and two memoranda of understanding (MoU) that covered combating crime and the illicit trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances. One MoU tackled the financing of eligible projects in the fields of energy, infrastructure, transportation, water and communications.
Khan had arrived on an official visit to the Kingdom on Friday. He was received upon his arrival by Crown Prince Mohammed.
The Crown Prince also held talks in Jeddah with Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa. Discussions covered bilateral relations, especially in the military and defense fields.
Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman also met with the Pakistani official to discuss military and defense ties.
