Pakistan, Saudi Arabia reaffirm commitment to strengthen bilateral ties
The development took place as Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki called on Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. Their meeting took place days after Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after exchanging lethal missile, drone and artillery strikes.
'They discussed the full gamut of bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen already existing fraternal relations across all sectors,' Pakistan's foreign ministry said about Dar's meeting with Malki.
Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malkiy, called on the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50. They discussed full gamut of bilateral ties and reaffirmed their comittment to further strengthen already existing fraternal… pic.twitter.com/lGfg908ePR
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 12, 2025
Saudi Arabia was one of the few countries that were actively engaged in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan last week after the former launched missile strikes against the latter on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan spoke to Dar over the phone on May 10, expressing condolences over the loss of lives due to India's strikes. The two had spoken after Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir visited Pakistan after his surprise stop in New Delhi for talks with Indian officials.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share close diplomatic and strategic relations. The Kingdom has extended significant support to Pakistan during prolonged economic challenges faced by Islamabad in recent years, including external financing and assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs.
The two regional and economic allies signed 34 agreements worth $2.8 billion in October last year. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates, serving as the top destination for remittances for cash-strapped Pakistan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
4 minutes ago
- Arab News
Syria, US and France agree to engage in efforts to support Syria's transition
PARIS: Syria's foreign minister held frank and productive talks with the United States and France at which they said on Friday they underlined the importance of ensuring the success of Syria's political transition, unity and territorial integrity. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot and US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack met in Paris, days after a ceasefire halted bloodshed in Syria's southern province of Sweida. Paris has long been the diplomatic heart of vital discussions like those we shared today. A stable, secure, and unified Syria is built on the foundation stone of great neighbors and allies. In the words of @SecRubio, conflicts end thanks to 'hard, vibrant diplomacy that the U.S.… — Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) July 25, 2025 Hundreds of people were reported killed in the clashes between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and government forces, and Israel carried out airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killing of Druze. In a joint statement, the Syrian, US and French officials said they had held 'a very frank and productive meeting at a critical moment for Syria.' Underlining the importance of engaging quickly to ensure the success Syria's political transition following the fall of President Bashar Assad, they said they had agreed on the need to ensure Syria's neighbors do not pose a threat and that Syria does not pose a threat to its neighbors. They also agreed to support efforts to hold those responsible for violence accountable, the statement said. Last week's clashes underlined the challenges interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa faces in stabilising Syria and maintaining centralized rule, despite warming ties with the US and his administration's evolving security contacts with Israel.
Arab News
4 minutes ago
- Arab News
UK, French and German leaders press Israel over Gaza aid after Macron backs a Palestinian state
LONDON: The leaders of Britain, France and Germany demanded Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza to end a 'humanitarian catastrophe,' after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will become the first major Western power to recognize a Palestinian state. The joint statement, issued after a call between Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, called for an immediate ceasefire and said that 'withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,' though it broke no new diplomatic ground. The leaders said they 'stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,' but did not say what that action might be. France's move exposes European divisions Macron's surprise announcement exposed differences among the European allies, known as the E3, over how to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis and end the Israel-Hamas war. All three support a Palestinian state in principle, but Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France's step, which Macron plans to formalize at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Britain has not followed suit either, but Starmer is under mounting pressure to formally recognize Palestinian statehood, both from opposition lawmakers and from members of his own Labour Party government. Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday called for an announcement 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognize.' On Friday, 221 of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons signed a letter urging Starmer to recognize a Palestinian state. 'Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance,' said the letter, signed by legislators from several government and opposition parties. After the E3 call on Friday, Starmer condemned 'the continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza.' He said that 'recognition of a Palestinian state' must be one of the steps on a pathway to peace. 'I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis,' he said. More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe. But France is the first Group of Seven country and the largest European nation to take that step. Israel and the United States both denounced France's decision. Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict. Any such solution appears far off. There had been no substantive Israel-Palestinian negotiations for years even before the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and sparked the current war. Humanitarian crisis alarms Israel's allies The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hunger is spreading and children have starved to death, has caused alarm even among Israel's closest allies. Germany has traditionally been a particularly staunch ally of Israel in Europe, with relations rooted in the history of the Holocaust. It says recognizing a Palestinian state should be 'one of the concluding steps' in negotiating a two-state solution and it 'does not plan to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.' But Berlin, too, has sharpened its tone recently, describing the Israeli military's actions in Gaza as unacceptable and pushing for greater humanitarian aid, but still appears to favor trying to influence Israeli officials by direct contact. The German government said in a statement on Friday that it is in a 'constant exchange' with the Israeli government and other partners on issues that include a ceasefire in Gaza and the need to drastically improve humanitarian aid. It said it is 'prepared to increase the pressure' if there is no progress, but didn't elaborate on how. Britain has halted some arms sales to Israel, suspended free trade talks and sanctioned far-right government ministers and extremist settlers, but Starmer is under intense pressure to do more. Also weighing on Starmer is his desire to maintain good relations with the US administration, which has strongly criticized France's decision. The British leader is due to meet President Donald Trump in the next few days while the president is in Scotland visiting two golf courses he owns there. Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at the international affairs think-tank Chatham House, said Macron's decision to defer finalizing recognition until September 'creates some space' for other countries to get on board. 'We know that the UK is close, but not there,' he said. 'This might encourage Starmer, who we know is not one to rush such a decision. … This might create some momentum, some dynamic, for the UK'
Al Arabiya
34 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Iran will increase the speed of its military, scientific tracks: Khamenei
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Friday his country's military and scientific tracks will proceed 'at a faster tempo than before.' A ceasefire ended Iran's 12-day war with Israel last month, but many Iranians remain uneasy, struggling with uncertainty as fears of another confrontation linger. The Israeli offensive targeted key nuclear facilities and military sites, killing top commanders, nuclear scientists, and hundreds of others, while also wreaking havoc in some residential areas. The attacks triggered the fiercest fighting in history between the two adversaries, ending with a ceasefire announced on June 24.
