Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif Embarks First Saudi Trip

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to embark on his inaugural official trip abroad as head of state, with Saudi Arabia as his destination on April 6, 2024.

The Foreign Office has affirmed the Prime Minister’s itinerary, which includes a visit to the Kingdom from April 6 to 8, during which he will spend the final days of Ramadan in the cities of Mecca and Madina.

Read more: PM Shehbaz Scheduled To Depart For Saudi Arabia On April 6

Accompanying the Prime Minister on this journey will be a delegation comprising Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, Information, and Economic Affairs. The purpose of the visit is not only for Umrah but also for diplomatic engagements with top Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. Discussions will cover a wide range of topics, including regional and global affairs.

Furthermore, it is anticipated that the Prime Minister will extend an invitation to the Crown Prince to visit Pakistan.

This visit also serves as an opportunity to finalize several development projects and bolster bilateral cooperation in various sectors, notably agriculture. Notably, there are discussions of a significant investment of $1 billion from the Kingdom in the Reko Diq project.

In terms of logistics, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, has clarified that the Prime Minister and his delegation will cover their travel expenses, including utilizing commercial flights for transportation.