President Alvi discusses regional issues with Saudi king Salman

Religious affairs minister briefs the president regarding ongoing talks on Hajj agreement with Saudi authorities

President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday met Saudi King and Custodian of the two Holy Mosques Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh and discussed regional issues among other matters of mutual interest.

According to a statement issued by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the two leaders also discussed bilateral ties, trade, investments and economic issues.

Pakistan’s acting ambassador to Saudi Arabia Zeeshan Ahmed and Pakistan Consul General in Jeddah Shahryar Akbar Khan were also present during the meeting, APP reported.

صدر پاکستان عارف علوی اور وفاقی وزیر برائے مذہبی امور نور الحق قادری کی سعودی عرب کے بادشاہ سلمان بن عبدالعزیز السعود سے اہم ملاقات،ملاقات میں دو طرفہ تعلقات اور خطے میں در پیش مسائل کے بارے میں اہم امور پر تبادلہ خیال کیا گیا#PTI pic.twitter.com/7BaXb1Mmxv

— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 12, 2018

صدر عارف علوی کی سعودی فرمانروا خادمین حرمین شریفین شاہ سلمان بن عبدالعزیز سے ملاقات۔ باہمی دلچسپی کے امور،سرمایہ کاری اور اقتصادی تعلقات کے امور پر بات چیت۔ سعودی عرب میں پاکستان کے قائم مقام اور جدہ میں پاکستان کے قونصل جنرل شہریار اکبر خان بھی ملاقات میں موجود@ArifAlvi#PTI pic.twitter.com/95nsowt72K

— Tehreek-e-Insaf (@InsafPK) December 12, 2018

Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadari met the president in Madina and briefed him about the ongoing talks with the Saudi authorities relating to Hajj agreement.

PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN

Officials of the two countries are holding another round of talks in Madina later today to finalise an agreement about providing more facilities to Pakistani pilgrims in the forthcoming Hajj season.



After the first phase of talks on Sunday, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed an agreement regarding terms and conditions and information regarding the holy pilgrimage in 2019.

According to the agreement, signed by religious affairs ministers of the two countries, a record 184,210 Pakistani Muslims will perform their religious obligation next year. The Saudi government has increased the quota for Pakistan with 5,000 pilgrims under the Road to Makkah project.