PM Shehbaz urges Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to deepen economic, agricultural ties

Says this will help translate their longstanding relationship into a mutually beneficial trade, investment partnership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should focus on “deepening economic and agriculture ties” to turn their longstanding relationship into a stronger trade and investment partnership, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement", declaring that "any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both". On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye formalised their longstanding strategic relationship through the newly signed "Makkah Joint Defence Agreement", a trilateral security framework that its proponents describe as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability.

PM Shehbaz made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Engineer Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.

Welcoming the Saudi minister, the prime minister reaffirmed the “deep-rooted, fraternal ties” between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and conveyed his “warmest regards” to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

H.E. Engineer Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House, Islamabad, today.

While welcoming the Saudi dignitary, the Prime… pic.twitter.com/Ad6CZgbq8f

— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 28, 2026

PM Shehbaz said the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan had “brought the three countries even closer together” and had “sent a message of unity and peace throughout the region”.

He said that, as “strategic partners”, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia needed to “focus their energies towards deepening economic and agriculture ties”.

The prime minister said this would help “translate their longstanding relationship into a stronger, mutually beneficial trade and investment partnership”. He also expressed satisfaction at the “constructive engagement between the two sides”, particularly over the export of agricultural products from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia.

Read: Pakistan, KSA sign defence pact

The two sides discussed ways to enhance agricultural productivity in Pakistan through the use of “technology, research & development and more efficient use of water resources”, according to the PMO.

PM Shehbaz also announced that a delegation of agricultural experts from Pakistan would “soon visit Riyadh to carry forward these discussions” and help “realise the full potential of this partnership”.

The Saudi minister thanked the prime minister for the “warm hospitality” extended to him and his delegation and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to “deepening cooperation with Pakistan” in agriculture, water and food security.

Federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Mohammad Aurangzeb, Atta Tarar, Jam Kamal Khan, Musadik Malik, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Syed Tauqir Shah and Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and senior government officials also attended the meeting.