Shehbaz Sharif, Asim Munir Perform Umrah During Saudi Visit

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and members of his high-level delegation performed Umrah in Makkah early on Friday, August 7, as part of their official visit to Saudi Arabia, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

The delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.

Delegation offers prayers inside the Holy Kaaba

Before performing Umrah, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the accompanying delegation entered the Holy Kaaba, where they offered prayers, the Prime Minister's Office said.

After completing the pilgrimage, the delegation prayed for Pakistan's prosperity, the well-being of the Muslim Ummah, and lasting peace and stability across the region and the world.

Saudi visit includes high-level talks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is visiting Saudi Arabia from Thursday, August 6, to Saturday, August 8.

During the visit, he is scheduled to hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The discussions are expected to focus on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, defence collaboration, and important regional and international developments.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia aim to expand cooperation

Pakistan's Foreign Office described the visit as another step towards strengthening the long-standing partnership between Islamabad and Riyadh.

Read More: Kuwait Arrests 48 Residency and Labour Law Violators in Raid

According to the Foreign Office, both countries are expected to discuss ways to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors and further strengthen their strategic relationship.

Regional security also on the agenda

The visit comes as West Asia continues to face growing regional instability, prompting Gulf countries to increase coordination on security matters.

Pakistan has recently supported diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18. Islamabad has also backed Saudi Arabia's proposed Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition, which aims to safeguard commercial shipping through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The two countries have also strengthened defence cooperation under their Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, which became operational earlier this year. The agreement has expanded collaboration in military training, defence coordination, and broader security cooperation.