ISLAMAMAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday departed for a brief official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, as regional tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East .
During the visit, the prime minister is scheduled to hold a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the ongoing tensions in the region, the regional security situation, and bilateral relations between the two countries . Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is accompanying the prime minister on the visit .
Diplomatic Context
The visit comes amid heightened volatility following US-Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28 and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US bases in several Gulf countries, as well as commercial and oil infrastructure . Iran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets .
The trip follows Prime Minister Shehbaz’s telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday, where he stressed that dialogue and diplomatic engagement remain essential for ensuring peace and stability in the region .
Pakistan’s Strategic Position
Last September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact pledging that any attack on one country would be treated as an attack on both . The agreement has placed Pakistan’s role under scrutiny amid the current conflict .
A day before the visit, Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, stated that Pakistan would stand firmly with Saudi Arabia if required, emphasizing the depth of the bilateral relationship . “The question is not whether Pakistan might come to Saudi Arabia’s aid,” Zaidi said in an interview with Bloomberg. “Both countries have long operated on the principle of being there for the other before they need the other. So there is no question that we might; we will. No matter what, no matter when” .
However, Zaidi stressed that Pakistan’s immediate focus was preventing the situation from escalating further and ensuring that key regional partners were not drawn into a broader conflict .
Previous High-Level Engagements
This marks the second high-level visit to Saudi Arabia after Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the kingdom on March 7 and met Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud . They discussed the gravity of the security situation resulting from Iranian drone and missile attacks on the kingdom and joint measures needed to halt such attacks within the framework of the mutual defense agreement .
Regional Impact
The ongoing conflict has disrupted global oil supply, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit chokepoint between Iran and Oman, with oil prices surging past $100 . Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since around March 1, sending oil prices surging . The narrow shipping lane handles about 20 million barrels of oil daily and roughly 20% of the global liquefied natural gas trade .
Pakistan, which relies on oil imports, has hiked petroleum prices and is in talks with Saudi Arabia to secure oil shipments from the Red Sea route . The government has also announced austerity measures, including a four-day work week for government offices, cutting fuel allowances, and closing schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis .
Foreign Office Statement
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi confirmed the visit during the weekly briefing, saying the trip forms part of ongoing coordination between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on matters related to regional peace and security. He added that the visit should also be seen as part of broader diplomatic efforts aimed at paving the way for dialogue and diplomacy in the region .
