Ishaq Dar, Saudi FM exchange New Year greetings, pledge to strengthen Pak-Saudi ties

Call highlights Pakistan-Saudi Arabia’s strong ties and shared commitment to regional peace and stability

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Tuesday. Dar conveyed Season’s Greetings and best wishes for the New Year to Prince Faisal, which were warmly reciprocated by the Saudi foreign minister.

During the call, the two leaders exchanged views on the evolving situation in the region and shared assessments of recent developments, the Foreign Office said in an official statement.

According to the FO, the deputy prime minister expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation across various sectors.

Prince Faisal, in turn, reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing and deepening bilateral ties, underscoring the importance of continued engagement between the two countries. The conversation reflected the close and longstanding relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as well as their shared interest in regional peace and stability.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday travelled to Rahim Yar Khan and held a meeting with the UAE president at Sheikh Zayed Palace. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan already had a bilateral meeting with the prime minister last Friday in Islamabad on his first official visit to Pakistan as president.

It was important that the meeting took place just hours after the Saudi FM spoke to DPM Dar. According to the official handout, Shehbaz, accompanied by Dar and Information Minister Ata Tarar, reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to deepen Pakistan–UAE strategic and economic cooperation.

It said the talks built on discussions held in Islamabad last week during the UAE president’s first official visit to Pakistan. PM Shehbaz stressed boosting bilateral trade and expanding collaboration across IT, energy, mining, and defence sectors, while praising the UAE’s role as host to over 2.1 million Pakistani expatriates who anchor people-to-people ties.