Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reached Abu Dhabi for a day-long visit to the United Arab Emirates.
UAE Minister for Justice Abdullah bin Sultan Al-Nuaimi received the prime minister and members of his delegation at the airport.
PM Shehbaz will also meet Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
A day before, the premier met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah and discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral, economic, investment and trade ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The premier was in Saudi Arabia on a three-day visit — his first since he assumed office —, along with a delegation including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Miftah Ismail, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Khawaja Asif, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Mohsin Dawar and Maulana Tahir Ashrafi.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, upon arrival at the Royal Palace, Shehbaz and his delegation were presented a guard of honour.
During the meeting, the heads of the two states held wide-ranging discussions on issues of mutual interest, along with global and regional issues. The prime minister also emphasised on the creation of job opportunities for Pakistanis.
Later in the day, PM Shehbaz thanked the Saudi prince for "a warm welcome and for always standing with Pakistan" promising to take the Pak-Saudi ties to a new and higher level.
A report in the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the "Pakistani Prime Minister expressed his happiness to visit the Kingdom and to meet with HRH the Crown Prince".
According to SPA, the two leaders reviewed the fraternal and historical relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. They also discussed the prospects of bilateral cooperation and promising opportunities as well as the ways of developing them in various fields. The two sides also reviewed all regional and international issues and discussed a number of issues of common interest.
The prime minister landed in Saudi Arabia's Madina on Thursday where he visited Masjid-i-Nabwi and offered his prayers. After spending two days in Madina and Jeddah, he arrived in Makkah today.
During his visit to the holy mosque on Saturday, the doors of the sacred Kaaba were opened exclusively for PM Shehbaz Sharif and the federal ministers.
The premier also performed Umrah with his delegation and prayed for the security of the country, nation and Muslim Ummah and for the development and prosperity of Pakistan.
Separately, PM Shehbaz also met the secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, in Makkah today.
During the meeting, the premier affirmed his government’s commitment to promote the interests of Muslim Ummah as a corner-stone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, a statement by the PM Office said.
As the chair of the OIC Council of Foreign Minister, Shehbaz added, Pakistan looked forward to playing a proactive role with regard to the matters of interest and concern to the OIC Member States.
He also thanked Taha for OIC’s consistent and unequivocal support to the Kashmir cause urging him to lead the diplomatic endeavors towards "facilitating a peaceful and lasting solution to Jammu and Kashmir dispute" in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiris.
