Pak-Saudi ties are embedded in hearts of people: Nawaz

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has met King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and exchanged views on the solutions to challenges facing Muslims and ways and means for bolstering cooperation between two countries in diverse fields.
PM Nawaz Sharif was accorded extraordinary protocol on his arrival in Saudi Arabia on a private visit.
Makkah Governor Khalid Al Faisal received Nawaz. It is for the first time during that a key figure of royal family has received any Pakistani dignitary on his arrival.
Earlier, Jeddah Governor Mashal Bin Majid had been discharging this obligation whose status is equivalent to mayor Jeddah.
Foreign media said receiving Nawaz by Khalid Al Faisal is being seen as a specific sign of former relations with royal family.
The PM also met Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz in Makkah and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Hussain Nawaz were also present.
Nawaz said both the countries had supported each other in trying times and the two countries are enjoying excellent ties in all the spheres.
The relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are not only political but they are embedded in the hearts of people of the two countries, he remarked.
The Saudi king congratulated Nawaz on becoming the prime minister for the third term. The meeting was also attended by Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Advisor to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques; Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Second Deputy Premier and Advisor and Special Envoy of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, Minister of Education and Prince
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The PM expressed gratitude for the sentiments and also thanked for a very warm welcome and hospitality extended to him during his private visit to Saudi Arabia.
Nawaz said that the relations were not based on political expediency, rather the same were etched deep in the heart of every Pakistani and Saudi nationals. “We care about each other more in practice than in words,” he remarked.
This is the second foreign tour of Nawaz after assumption of his office. He had flown to China during his first offshore visit. Pakistani media showed wonder over his visit of China instead of Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, Pakistani rulers had been visiting Saudi Arabia during their first foreign visit earlier and China comes on second number.
PML-N sources said Nawaz had done so due to Ramadan. Nawaz was desirous to spend last 10 days of Ramadan in Makkah and Medina.
Saudi media particularly highlighted Nawaz Sharif’s relations with royal family of Saudi Arabia.