Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as strategic partners, to deepen their economic and agricultural ties.
The remarks came as Engineer Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture, called on the prime minister at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Friday, according to an official statement. Welcoming the Saudi dignitary, Sharif reaffirmed the deep-rooted, fraternal ties between the two countries and conveyed his warmest regards for King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Sharif said the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan had brought the three countries even closer together, sending a message of unity and peace across the region. He said that as strategic partners, Pakistan and the Kingdom must now direct their energies toward deepening economic and agricultural cooperation, translating their longstanding relationship into a stronger, mutually beneficial trade and investment partnership.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction with the constructive engagement between the two sides, particularly regarding Pakistan’s export of agricultural products to Saudi Arabia. According to the PMO statement, both sides also discussed ways to enhance agricultural productivity in Pakistan through technology, research and development, and more efficient use of water resources. Sharif announced that a delegation of Pakistani agricultural experts would soon visit Riyadh to carry these discussions forward and help realise the partnership’s full potential.
The Saudi minister thanked the prime minister for the hospitality extended to him and his delegation, and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Pakistan across the agriculture, water, and food security sectors.
