Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to travel to Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8, accompanied by Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, for an official visit centered on bilateral ties and evolving regional dynamics. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed the trip during Thursday’s weekly press briefing.
According to Andrabi, the Pakistani delegation will also include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is already in Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of his visit to Jordan.
Meeting With Crown Prince Expected
A central highlight of the PM Shehbaz Saudi Arabia visit will be a face-to-face meeting between the prime minister and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Foreign Office said discussions during the trip will focus on deepening Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations and exchanging perspectives on pressing regional and global matters of shared concern.
Andrabi described the visit as significant for advancing regional peace, strengthening diplomatic coordination, and building a joint approach toward stability. He noted that Islamabad remains actively engaged in efforts to ease tensions across the Middle East and support peaceful settlement of ongoing disputes. The Foreign Office subsequently released a formal statement outlining details of the trip.
Oman’s Role and Iran-US Dialogue
The spokesperson praised Oman for its steady, constructive contribution to fostering peace and de-escalation in the region. He expressed hope that a recent understanding concerning the Strait would open the door to further dialogue, particularly the restart of technical-level discussions between Iran and the United States.
Andrabi also pointed to recent diplomatic outreach by Deputy PM Dar, including a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on July 30, and a separate conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi covering developments in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, Palestine, and the broader Middle East. Dar reportedly extended an invitation to his Iranian counterpart to visit Pakistan. On whether a similar invitation had been sent to Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Andrabi said the National Assembly Secretariat would be better placed to confirm.
Dar Represents Pakistan at Jerusalem Meeting
The Foreign Office noted that Dar attended a ministerial gathering on Jerusalem held in Jordan, where Pakistan restated its backing for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 boundaries, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif serving as its capital.
During the trip, Dar also met separately with foreign ministers from Jordan, Turkiye, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, and Somalia. Additionally, the fifth R4 ministerial meeting, bringing together Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye, reaffirmed support for Palestinian rights and emphasized closer coordination toward regional peace and de-escalation.
Andrabi further revealed that senior-level talks and a Joint Trade Committee session between Pakistan and Australia produced an agreement to expand cooperation in political, trade, economic, and security domains, with both sides reaffirming commitment to a stronger bilateral partnership.
Asked about comments from Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Andrabi declined to weigh in, stating Pakistan does not take positions on Bangladesh’s internal political affairs.
Gaza Situation and Peacekeeping Proposal
Addressing Gaza, the spokesperson said durable peace hinges on both Hamas’s disarmament and a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, adding that Israel is bound by international obligations to pull back. On the prospect of an international peacekeeping force being deployed in Gaza, Andrabi called the discussion premature, noting Pakistan would examine any formal proposal once presented.
FO Rejects India’s Comments on AJK Elections
Turning to Kashmir, Andrabi reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of India’s actions taken on August 5, 2019, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He dismissed New Delhi’s remarks on the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, arguing India lacks both the moral and legal authority to comment on AJK’s democratic process given its own record of human rights violations in occupied territory.
“Pakistan rejects India’s baseless and politically motivated comments on the ongoing Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections,” Andrabi said, adding that the polls are being held “in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner” under the region’s constitutional and legal framework.
Pakistan Renews Call for Afghanistan to Curb TTP
On Afghanistan, the Foreign Office spokesperson repeated Pakistan’s demand that Kabul stop allowing its territory to be used for cross-border terrorism, stressing that dismantling militant sanctuaries and support networks remains vital to improving relations between the two countries.
Andrabi confirmed that Pakistan and the United States both regard the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as a shared security threat. While Pakistan does not object to humanitarian or economic aid reaching Afghanistan, he urged donor nations to ensure such funding is not diverted to militant groups. “Terror financing, regardless of its source, must end immediately,” he said, calling on donors to verify their assistance does not benefit the TTP or other terrorist organizations.
The upcoming PM Shehbaz Saudi Arabia visit, paired with Pakistan’s ongoing regional diplomacy, underscores Islamabad’s push to position itself as an active player in Middle East stability efforts while managing pressing security and diplomatic challenges closer to home.