On Friday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the crises being faced by Pakistan. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the meeting on Twitter, stating that solutions to the problems were also discussed in detail. Nawaz’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, was also present during the meeting. The sources said that the meeting between the two leaders was positive.
Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz are currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah along with other family members. The Sharif family arrived in Saudi Arabia on April 11, and Nawaz is visiting the country after six years. According to sources, Nawaz was planning to stay in Saudi Arabia until April 26, but Hussain Nawaz and his family requested him to prolong his stay in Jeddah at his residence.
Sources also suggest that Nawaz might hold a meeting with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, during his stay in Jeddah. This comes after earlier reports claimed that the Saudi King had invited Nawaz and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the kingdom to perform Umrah as a gesture of goodwill.
During the meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, the PML-N leaders discussed further developing Saudi-Pak brotherly relations, and solutions to the problems faced by Pakistan. Nawaz also expressed his good wishes for the Saudi leadership. It is worth noting that Pakistan is currently going through serious economic and political troubles, and the meeting comes at a crucial time.
The PML-N leaders’ meeting had not been publicized earlier, and no pictures of the event have been released. However, the meeting is significant, as earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed the lower house of the parliament that Saudi Arabia had provided another $2 billion to Pakistan to bolster the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Shehbaz praised Saudi Arabia for its kindness, while also mentioning that the United Arab Emirates had promised to give Pakistan $1 billion.
In January, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir had met MBS at the winter camp in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, where the two leaders had reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the two leaders had also discussed ways to enhance relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, in addition to a number of issues of common concern.
In conclusion, Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince is significant, given the current economic and political issues faced by Pakistan. The meeting also highlights the importance of Saudi-Pak relations, which have historically been strong.
