ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday decided to strengthen their bilateral defense partnership as Saudi Chief of Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili held a series of high-level meetings in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, signaling the renewal of the strategic alignment of the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with General Al-Ruwaili to review defense cooperation, counter-terrorism coordination and regional stability, highlighting that Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations were further strengthened through a recent high-level engagement in Riyadh.
The meeting focused on the historic “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” signed during recent visits to Riyadh. Both sides are committed to making it operational through joint training, military exercises and an expanded exchange of expertise in the coming phase.
Shehbaz appreciated Saudi Arabia’s continued support for Pakistan, while reiterating Islamabad’s resolve to deepen bilateral defense ties, strengthen security cooperation and maintain united resolve against terrorism and extremism.
General Al-Ruwaili relayed the Saudi leadership’s congratulations, reaffirming the Kingdom’s strong desire to elevate the existing defense and strategic partnership to new heights, and conveyed Riyadh’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in multiple areas.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Army Chief Marshal Asim Munir attended the meeting, where Pakistan reiterated its keenness to expand joint exercises, training programs and exchange of expertise.
Earlier, at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Field Marshal Asim Munir held detailed discussions with General Al-Ruwaili on strengthening long-standing military cooperation, expanding counter-terrorism efforts and deepening security coordination, which both leaders described as pillars of the Pak-Saudi strategic relationship.
General Al-Ruwaili appreciated Pakistan’s cooperation with the Saudi Armed Forces in multiple areas and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the strong ties of defense partnership, following which he laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and received a guard of honor.
At the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Al-Ruwaili met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza to discuss global and regional security developments, explore concrete steps to deepen military engagement and reaffirm the common commitment to advancing strategic defense ties.
General Sahir Shamshad reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia and ensuring the protection of Harmain al-Sharifain, stressing that this commitment constitutes a constant cornerstone of relations between the two countries.
During these engagements, both sides affirmed their intention to accelerate the implementation of the defense agreement, strengthen institutional coordination and expand military-to-military collaboration, underscoring the depth of the bilateral partnership rooted in decades of cooperation and shared strategic interests.
