Pakistani PM visits Saudi Arabia amid regional tensions

ALBAWABA- Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday for an official visit to Saudi Arabia, leading a high-level delegation for talks expected to focus on bilateral cooperation and the evolving regional crisis.

Sharif was received by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region. The visit comes amid heightened tensions following nearly 40 days of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, including Iranian retaliatory strikes on Gulf assets and US military installations.

During his stay in Jeddah, Sharif is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions are expected to center on strengthening strategic ties and coordinating positions on regional developments.

The Pakistani delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and foreign media spokesperson Mushahid Zaidi. Pakistan’s official X account confirmed both the arrival and the visit’s agenda.

The visit follows Islamabad’s recent deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia under a strategic defence pact. On April 11, Pakistan dispatched a contingent of approximately 13,000 troops, along with 10 to 18 fighter jets and support aircraft, to King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. 

Saudi defence officials described the move as part of efforts to enhance joint operational readiness, strengthen military coordination, and reinforce regional security amid ongoing instability.

Sharif’s trip also comes shortly after Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan visited Islamabad, where Riyadh pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits to bolster Pakistan’s foreign reserves. The support is intended to help Islamabad meet looming debt obligations, including a $3.5 billion repayment to the United Arab Emirates due by the end of the month.

The financial arrangement has underscored emerging strains in UAE-Pakistan relations, reportedly linked to differing approaches to regional diplomacy following the Iran conflict. Abu Dhabi is said to have pressed for the return of previously rolled-over funds, amid perceptions of divergence over Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.

Separately, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, addressed the UN Security Council on Yemen on April 14, calling for a Yemeni-led political process and warning against external interference shaping the country’s future. While Pakistan has previously supported UAE efforts in Yemen, recent diplomatic exchanges reflect broader sensitivities within Gulf dynamics.