Army chief meets Saudi crown prince, discusses defence cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed the matters of mutual interest, ARY News reported.

During the meeting, the two dignitaries also discussed the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of defense. The discussion on military training collaboration was also held.

It is pertinent to mention here that the role of Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in furthering ties between the two countries was an important driving force.

The army chief’s visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on August 22, 2018 had undertaken some important decisions. While Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman maiden visit to Pakistan is also connected to the COAS visit.

Saudi crown prince had arrived in Pakistan on a maiden visit to the country on Sunday (Feb 16) and left today after completing his two-day visit.

The crown prince was accompanied by a high-powered delegation, including members of Saudi Royal family, key ministers and leading businessmen.

Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman for his arrival to Pakistan, at a joint press conference before the latter left the country.

PM Khan also expressed his gratitude to the royal dignitary for ordering release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners detained in Saudi jails.

In his remarks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman said Pakistan had the potential to become a big economy by 2030. “We believe Pakistan have a huge potential and it would be one of the biggest 20 economies in the world.”