WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Riyadh today to participate in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Conference, leading a high-level delegation, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Bilal bin Saqib. During the visit, the prime minister is expected to hold meetings with the Saudi leadership, as well as heads of international organisations and global investors attending the conference.
The FII forum brings together world leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators to discuss emerging trends in sustainable development, economic inclusion, innovation, and shifting global geopolitics.
Prime Minister Shehbaz will present Pakistan’s perspective on these key themes and explore avenues to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and manpower with Saudi Arabia.
Pak-Saudi Arabia defence pact
Earlier in September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed a landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), declaring that any aggression against one country will be treated as an attack on both. The accord was finalised during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, following detailed discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on regional security and global developments.
According to the Foreign Office, the agreement reflected both nations’ shared commitment to peace and stability, aiming to enhance defence cooperation and strengthen joint deterrence. A Saudi official described it as a comprehensive defence pact encompassing all military means, adding that it reflects the two countries’ longstanding partnership rather than a reaction to recent events. The signing follows regional unrest, including Israel’s recent attack on Doha, and Pakistan’s proposal at the Arab-Islamic Summit for an Arab-Islamic task force to counter aggression. The agreement also preceded an international conference supporting the two-state solution for Palestine.