JEDDAH (The Thursday Times) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for a two-day diplomatic visit that blends religious observance with strategic engagement, as he prepares to hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Eid-ul-Adha holiday.
The visit underscores Islamabad’s desire to deepen economic and geopolitical ties with Riyadh at a moment of shifting alignments in the Muslim world and renewed instability in South Asia.
Mr. Sharif was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah by Governor Prince Saud bin Abdullah and other senior Saudi officials. From there, the Pakistani premier and his high-level delegation travelled directly to the holy city of Makkah to perform Umrah ahead of Eid.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the trip—scheduled for June 5 and 6—will be marked by a formal meeting between Mr. Sharif and the Saudi crown prince on the morning of Eid. The encounter is expected to focus on expanding bilateral cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, and strategic partnership frameworks.
The timing of the visit—coinciding with one of the holiest periods in the Islamic calendar—adds symbolic weight to what officials in Islamabad have described as a “brotherly reaffirmation” of ties between the two nations.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has re-emerged as a pivotal partner for Pakistan, offering financial support during times of economic hardship and playing a quiet diplomatic role in regional matters. A senior Pakistani official speaking on condition of anonymity said that Mr. Sharif intends to thank the crown prince for Riyadh’s “measured and stabilising posture” during the recent Pakistan-India confrontation that saw military escalations along the Line of Control.
The visit also comes amid growing calls across the Muslim world for greater unity in the face of humanitarian crises and strategic realignments. Discussions are expected to cover issues affecting the wider Muslim world, including the ongoing war in Gaza, instability in the Red Sea region, and economic coordination within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
For Mr. Sharif, who has made a concerted effort to position himself as a pragmatic bridge-builder since returning to office last year, the meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman represents both continuity and ambition—an opportunity to not only reaffirm historic bonds but also shape new avenues of cooperation in energy, infrastructure, and defence.
The two sides are also reportedly exploring sovereign investment frameworks, including joint ventures under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme and Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Officials close to the matter said that memorandums of understanding could be discussed, although no formal announcements are expected during the Eid visit.
In the broader context, the trip reflects Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to recalibrate its foreign policy amid tensions with neighbouring India, a fragile economic recovery, and a wider reconfiguration of power dynamics in the Muslim world.