PM Shehbaz calls for deeper Pak-Saudi economic ties post Makkah Defence Pact

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a Saudi visitor on Friday that the two countries should direct their energy toward broader economic and farm cooperation. Engineer Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, called on him at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad, according to Business Recorder. The premier argued that the long-standing friendship should be converted into a closer commercial and investment alliance.

The Saudi minister said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan had drawn the three nations closer and conveyed a theme of unity and peace across the region. Shehbaz was pleased by the productive dialogue between the two sides on Pakistan's farm exports to the Kingdom. The two sides also discussed raising farm output in Pakistan using technology, research and development, and using water more efficiently.

Shehbaz also said a team of Pakistani farm specialists will travel to Riyadh soon to continue the talks and realise the partnership's full potential. The Saudi minister thanked him for his hospitality and reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to cooperation with Pakistan across agriculture, water and food security.