Pak PM to visit Saudi Arabia tomorrow to meet King Salman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will embark on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia from tomorrow to meet the country's new King Salman and discus various bilateral and regional issues.

Sharif is visiting Saudi Arabia on "a special invitation" from King Salman who took over after the death of his half-brother King Abdullah in January, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"This will be his first official visit to the Kingdom since assuming the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2013," Foreign Office said.

Sharif will be accompanied by a high-level delegation that would include Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi.

During the visit he will hold talks with the King, perform Umrah and visit Madinah to offer prayers at the Masjid-e-Nabvi.

FO said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are tied in close fraternal bonds of shared faith and values.

Being the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, the King of Saudi Arabia has a special place in the hearts of every Pakistani.

Saudi Arabia also hosts over 1.7 million Pakistanis whose remittances contribute substantially to the economy of Pakistan.

Annual trade volume between the two countries exceeds USD 4.5 billion.

It also said the official visit of the Prime Minister will provide an opportunity to the leadership of the two countries to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern in the global and regional context and further strengthen our close bilateral relations.