Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif arrives in Saudi Arabia

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on his first foreign trip since taking office.

Sharif became Pakistan's prime minister on April 11, after his immediate predecessor Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote.

The three-day visit to the Kingdom is on the invitation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"I will have wide-ranging discussions with Saudi leadership," Sharif said on Twitter prior to his departure.

"KSA is one of our greatest friends & as Custodian of the Two Holy Places, has a special place in all our hearts."

The prime minister is in the Kingdom accompanied by several members of his cabinet,



including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“During the visit, the Prime Minister will have bilateral interaction with the Saudi leadership, with particular focus on advancing economic, trade and investment ties and creation of greater opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in Saudi Arabia,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The Prime Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia will impart a strong impetus to deepening bilateral cooperation in diverse fields and further reinforce the growing partnership between the two countries.”

Pakistan has deep-rooted ties with Saudi Arabia, with nearly 2.5 million of its nationals living and working in the Kingdom.