'People of Pakistan stand with Saudi Arabia'

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met newly-appointed Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Rajeh Albugamy and congratulated him on assuming his diplomatic responsibilities.

The chief minister appreciated the ambassador's diplomatic services and expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership for its economic and financial assistance to Pakistan. She described the Makkah defence agreement as the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations and condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives.

She invited Saudi citizens to visit Punjab's prominent tourist destinations and conveyed her best wishes to the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Saudi crown prince.

The leaders discussed opportunities to utilise Punjab's resources and potential to enhance exports of livestock, beef, poultry, fruits and vegetables to Saudi Arabia.

They also deliberated on organising a roadshow in Riyadh to attract investment in Punjab and agreed on a target of over Rs500 billion in export of livestock, beef, poultry, mangoes, potatoes and shrimp.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the Saudi leadership held a unique, revered place in the hearts of Pakistanis. She said the decades-long relationship of trust between the Saudi leadership and former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was a shining example of enduring bilateral ties.

She noted that Saudi Arabia was Pakistan's largest source of remittances.

She said attacks on Saudi cities and civilian infrastructure, including attempts to target Makkah and Madinah, were condemnable.

The chief minister said the joint defence agreement signed in August reflected the shared resolve of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to protect their sovereignty and security. She said Pakistan fully supported Saudi Arabia's right to defend its people, cities and critical infrastructure.

"The people of Pakistan and Punjab stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," she said, adding that shared economic strength was a reliable guarantee of collective security.

CM Maryam Nawaz said Punjab had the potential to become a reliable supplier of halal-certified food products to Saudi Arabia. She also paid tribute to the services of the former Saudi ambassador for promoting and strengthening relations between the two countries.

Dr Albugamy appreciated the deep-rooted, fraternal and strategic relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and their people, expressing a commitment to strengthen the cooperation in all fields.

The ambassador thanked the government, armed forces and people of Pakistan for their support to Saudi Arabia, particularly their backing for measures aimed at safeguarding the kingdom's security, stability and integrity.