Islamabad, Riyadh close ranks to boost defence ties

Top Saudi general holds extensive talks with PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Asim

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia moved to reinforce the bilateral defence partnership on Monday as Saudi Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili held a series of high-level meetings in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, signalling the two nations' renewed strategic alignment.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met General Al-Ruwaili to review defence cooperation, counterterrorism coordination and regional stability, emphasising that relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had strengthened further through recent high-level engagement in Riyadh.

The meeting focused on the historic 'Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement' signed, recently visits in Riyadh. Both sides were committed to operationalise it through joint training, military exercises and expanded exchange of expertise in the coming phase.

Shehbaz appreciated Saudi Arabia's consistent support for Pakistan, while reiterating Islamabad's determination to deepen bilateral defence ties, enhance security cooperation and maintain a united resolve against terrorism and extremism.

General Al-Ruwaili relayed felicitations from the Saudi leadership, reaffirming the Kingdom's strong desire to elevate the existing defence and strategic partnership to new heights, and conveyed Riyadh's commitment to strengthening cooperation across multiple domains.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the meeting, where Pakistan reiterated its readiness to broaden joint exercises, training programmes and expertise exchanges.

Earlier, at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Field Marshal Asim Munir held detailed talks with General Al-Ruwaili on strengthening longstanding military cooperation, expanding counterterrorism efforts and deepening security coordination, which both leaders described as pillars of the Pak-Saudi strategic relationship.

General Al-Ruwaili appreciated Pakistan's cooperation with the Saudi armed forces in multiple fields and reaffirmed his commitment to furthering the strong bonds of defence partnership, following which he laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and received a guard of honour.

At the Joint Staff Headquarters, General Al-Ruwaili met Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza to discuss global and regional security developments, explore concrete measures to deepen military engagement and reaffirm the shared commitment to advancing strategic defence ties.

General Sahir Shamshad reiterated Pakistan's unwavering commitment to safeguarding Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity and ensuring the protection of Harmain al-Sharifain, stressing that this pledge formed a consistent cornerstone of the relationship between the two countries.

During these engagements, both sides affirmed the intention to accelerate implementation of the defence agreement, strengthen institutional coordination and expand military-to-military collaboration, highlighting the depth of the bilateral partnership rooted in decades of cooperation and shared strategic interests.