Saudi F-15 jets escort PM Shehbaz’s plane in warm aerial welcome

RIYADH: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for an official visit, receiving a warm gesture of friendship as Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jets escorted his aircraft upon entry into Saudi airspace.

Speaking onboard his special flight, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed heartfelt gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, and to King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for the gracious aerial reception.

The visit comes at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Prime Minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Musadik Malik, along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.

During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to review the full spectrum of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations.

The leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, aiming to strengthen cooperation across diverse fields.

The visit is anticipated to formalize collaborative agreements across various sectors, reflecting both countries’ shared commitment to enhancing and deepening their longstanding fraternal relationship.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy a historic relationship, rooted in shared faith, values and mutual trust. The visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz will provide an important opportunity to the two leaders to consolidate this unique partnership, while exploring new avenues of collaboration, for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

The visit comes shortly after his return from Doha, where he attended the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit convened in response to Israeli aggression.

Following the completion of his Saudi visit, the Prime Minister will travel to the United Kingdom, where he is scheduled to meet with British officials and engage in discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation.

On September 21, PM Shehbaz will depart for the United States, where he will participate in the session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. He is also likely to attend the High-Level Conference on the Two-State Solution for Palestine on September 22.