PM Imran, Saudi crown prince vow to boost ‘fraternal ties’

Prime Minister Imran Khan met on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in Riyadh and discussed bilateral ties among other matters including Afghan crisis.

A statement issued by the PM Office said the prime minister paid tribute to the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in the progress and development of the kingdom.

He also lauded the crown prince for the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’, aimed at transforming the socio-economic development of the kingdom in the 21st century.

While discussing bilateral ties, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s deep fraternal relations with Saudi Arabia and highlighted the significance Pakistan attached to its strategic ties with the kingdom.

He also expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its steadfast support to Pakistan at every crucial juncture.

“The two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across all fields,” read the official statement.

Also read: PM heaps praise on Saudi Arabia’s ‘idealistic’ climate initiatives

The premier warmly congratulated the crown prince on successfully organising the MGI Summit on climate change. He added that the moot clearly demonstrated the commitment of the Saudi leadership to take tangible steps for effectively tackling the challenge of Climate Change.

He noted that the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative aligned closely with Pakistan’s Climate Change Initiatives – ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’ and the ‘Ten Billion Tree Tsunami’. He reiterated Pakistan’s support in the implementation of these green initiatives.

On the latest developments in Afghanistan, PM Imran stressed the importance of active and constructive engagement of the international community to help alleviate the sufferings of the Afghan people. He expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and hoped that the international community would take urgent steps to prevent a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan.

The two leaders, the statement said agreed to closely coordinate efforts to address these challenges.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are bound in a fraternal relationship marked by mutual trust and understanding, close cooperation, and an abiding tradition of supporting each other, read the communiqué.

This is the second visit of the prime minister to Saudi Arabia this year. He earlier visited the kingdom in May 2021.