Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Asim Munir to Visit Saudi Arabia Amid Gulf Tensions

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir will begin a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday as Islamabad looks to strengthen its strategic partnership with Riyadh amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

Pakistan last week said it is “doing its utmost” to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18.

Sharif will lead a high-level delegation during the Aug 6-8 visit. Besides Munir, the delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other federal ministers, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on X.

Dar, who concluded a visit to Jordan after attending a ministerial meeting on Jerusalem, is already in Saudi Arabia and will join Sharif's delegation there, the FO said.

Sharif to meet Saudi Crown Prince

“During the visit, the prime minister will meet the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions would focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relationship and exchange views on areas of regional and international developments of mutual interests,” the statement said.

The FO said the visit reflected the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, built on decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood.

“Although taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit carries significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations. It will further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation,” the FO said.

The visit comes as the conflict in West Asia has expanded across multiple fronts, prompting Gulf states to strengthen regional security coordination.

Maritime security, defence ties in focus

On July 30, Saudi Arabia proposed a Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition (MMDC) to protect commercial shipping lanes and critical energy supply routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, expressed support for the initiative, reflecting growing concerns over the security of one of the world's most important maritime corridors, according to reports.

Islamabad also reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and stressed the need to maintain the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia strengthened their defence relationship last year by signing a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, which became operational earlier this year.

Its implementation coincided with Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to facilitate talks between Iran and the US, as Islamabad sought to balance its close strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia while keeping communication channels open with Tehran.

Under the defence framework, Pakistan has deployed military personnel and aircraft to Saudi Arabia for joint training, defence cooperation and the kingdom's security requirements.

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Saudi financial support for Pakistan

Saudi Arabia is also an important source of financial support for Pakistan, which relies on loans from the kingdom to stabilise its economy.

According to a provisional foreign economic assistance report by Pakistan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, Saudi Arabia extended a fresh $3 billion loan in deposits and extended a $5 billion facility for another three years in 2025/26.