PM Abbasi assures KSA of Pakistan’s full support for regional peace, stability

• PM meets custodian of two holy mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud during one-day visit 

RIYADH: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday assured King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia of Pakistan’s full support in bringing peace and stability in the region.

Prime Minister Abbasi paid a one day visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday along with Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar.

During the visit, the prime minister held meetings with the custodian of the two holy mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud. King Salman Bin Abdulaziz also hosted a luncheon in honour of the visiting prime minister and his delegation.

During their meeting, Prime Minister Abbasi and King Salman reviewed the entire spectrum of their bilateral relations in addition to regional and international issues. They also discussed ways and means to further enhance their bilateral relations in diverse fields.

PM Abbasi lauded the efforts of the Saudi leadership in bringing peace and stability in the region, and assured the king of Pakistan’s full support in this regard. The Saudi king praised the excellent relations that existed between the two sides and efforts of Pakistan in routing the menace of terrorism and extremism from its soil.

During his meeting with the crown prince, PM Abbasi praised his vision for launching the national economic transformation plan ‘Vision 2030’ and offered Pakistan’s technical and human resource assistance in achieving it.

He also appreciated the efforts and dedication of the crown prince in launching a unified platform of Muslim countries, in form of Islamic Military Alliance to Combat Terrorism (IMCTC), for countering the menaces of extremism and terrorism that were distorting the real essence of Islam.

The crown prince, while appreciating the efforts of Pakistan in fighting terrorism and its active participation in IMCTC, said that Saudi Arabia and other countries of the coalition looked forward to learning from Pakistan’s experience in this field. He underscored the fact that there was a great potential for further strengthening of the bilateral relations, especially in the fields of economy, trade, investment and defence.

Earlier, PM Abbasi was received at the King Salman airbase by Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Al Saud. This was his second visit to Saudi Arabia. Earlier, the PM visited Saudi Arabia soon after assuming office.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close and fraternal relations. The traditionally warm bilateral relations are based on mutual trust and common aspirations of the people of the two countries. The two countries signed a ‘Treaty of Friendship’ in 1951 which lays the foundation of our bilateral relations.