Pakistan steps up Gulf diplomacy as PM visits Saudi Arabia

Dubai: Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarking on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia.

The visit comes as Islamabad pushes for de-escalation in the Gulf, supports renewed dialogue between the United States and Iran, and reinforces strategic partnerships across the region, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said during a media briefing in Islamabad on August 6.

The prime minister’s August 6-8 visit comes at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and is taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Andrabi said the visit reflects the enduring strategic relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation while coordinating positions on pressing regional and international developments.

Sharif is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and other senior ministers. During the visit, the Pakistani leadership will hold talks with the Saudi Crown Prince on expanding strategic cooperation, enhancing economic and defence ties, and discussing developments affecting the Gulf and the broader region.

Describing Saudi Arabia as one of Pakistan’s closest partners, Andrabi said the visit goes beyond bilateral relations and underscores Islamabad’s commitment to promoting peace and stability in the Middle East through diplomacy and engagement.

He said Pakistan continues to work with friendly countries to ease regional tensions, particularly those surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, which remains central to maritime security and global energy supplies.

The spokesperson said Pakistan welcomed Oman’s constructive role in promoting dialogue and de-escalation in the Gulf, adding that Islamabad would continue supporting every sincere diplomatic effort aimed at achieving a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the crisis.

He noted that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar recently held separate conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, discussing developments in Palestine, the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz. Dar also invited the Iranian foreign minister to visit Pakistan.

Andrabi said Pakistan remains actively engaged with regional partners, including Qatar and Oman, in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran. While some countries have taken the lead in specific areas of the peace process, he described Pakistan’s contribution as part of a coordinated regional effort aimed at preventing further escalation and creating conditions for sustained negotiations. He expressed hope that progress on the Strait of Hormuz would pave the way for the resumption of technical-level talks envisaged under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Statement.

On the Palestinian issue, Andrabi said Pakistan had reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people during the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem held in Amman on August 5. The meeting brought together Arab League member states and selected Islamic countries to coordinate their response to the deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem. Pakistan reiterated its commitment to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

The spokesperson also highlighted Pakistan’s growing cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism following the fourth round of the Pakistan-US Counterterrorism Dialogue held in Washington. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to tackling terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation on border security and disrupting terrorist facilitation networks. The dialogue specifically identified ISIS-Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) among the groups threatening regional stability.

Andrabi said intelligence cooperation between Pakistan and the United States remains strong and is expected to expand further. He noted that discussions covered cross-border militant networks operating from Afghanistan and said Pakistan continues to urge Kabul to dismantle terrorist infrastructure used against Pakistan. While describing recent clashes inside Afghanistan as an internal matter, he maintained that support for the TTP remains the principal obstacle to improved relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan welcomed Saudi Arabia’s evolving maritime security initiative but noted that discussions on its operational framework were still under way. Islamabad, he added, continues to condemn attacks on commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb and Red Sea, describing them as violations of international law that threaten global trade and maritime security.

Andrabi added Pakistan would continue pursuing diplomacy, dialogue and multilateral cooperation to reduce tensions across the Gulf and Middle East while strengthening strategic partnerships with key regional and international partners in support of peace, security and economic stability.