Saudi Arabia | Pakistan

Saudi Arabia lambasted Iran for its “unjustifiable” attack on a US base in Qatar on Monday, offering to deploy “all its capabilities” to support Doha, with whom it has had fraught relations in the past. Riyadh said it “condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the aggression launched by Iran against the sisterly State of […]

ISLAMABAD - Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia marked a significant moment in advancing diplomatic and spiritual solidarity among Muslim nations, as he represented Pakistan in response to an invitation by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who has launched a fresh initiative for.

On directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Saudi Arabia’s authorities began safe return of Iranian Hajj pilgrims to their country in the wake of tensions with Israel, local media reported. In order to keep an eye on Iranian pilgrims’ status and make sure all of their demands are satisfied in Makkah […]

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif departed for Pakistan on Friday after completing his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from June 5 to 6, 2025, coinciding with the occasion of Eid ul Adha.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will embark on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from June 5 to 6, 2025, coinciding with the occasion of Eid ul Adha. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation. During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with His Royal Highness Prince […]

The world’s largest gathering of people, and perhaps it’s the world’s largest test of communication, takes place in holy sites in Saudi Arabia, where more than two million pilgrims from 180 nations converge for Haj. With those pilgrims come hundreds of languages, dialects, and customs, making effective communication profoundly challenging. According to a press release from the Saudi Ministry for Haj and Umrah, the kingdom is “rewriting the rules of communication at Haj”, making broad use of AI translation tools at the core of a pilgrimage built on clarity, access, and spiritual depth. “One of the most powerful examples came during the Arafat sermon, a central and emotionally resonant moment of Haj,” the press release read. “This year, the sermon was translated in real-time into 35 languages, allowing millions around the world — and every pilgrim on the ground — to hear the message of unity, compassion, and faith in their own tongue”. According to the ministry, the broadcast was enabled by advanced AI systems ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to depart for Saudi Arabia tomorrow (Thursday), sources confirmed.

Over a million Muslim pilgrims from across the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Haj this year, with the kingdom showcasing its readiness and preparation, the Saudi government said on Friday. Haj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is performed each year by millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia. According to a press release from the Saudi Embassy, the newly expanded Grand Mosque in Makkah “marks a defining feature of this year’s Haj”, as it is now capable of accommodating double its previous capacity. “Following months of cross-sector coordination and international cooperation, the kingdom reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that every pilgrim’s journey is not only safe and seamless but also spiritually enriching,” the press release read. Quoting Dr Ghassan Alnwaimi, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Haj and Umrah, the press release added, “Our readiness is not just measured in infrastructure and systems — it’s reflected...

• Observes things are calming down following contacts between DGMOs; NSA to lead Pakistan side during dialogue • Says Nawaz was consulted before army chief’s elevation to field marshal ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Saudi Arabia could be the “neutral” venue for much-needed talks between Pakistan and India on critical issues. The premier also said that he had consulted PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on his decision to elevate Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir to field marshal. Talking to a group of TV anchors at the PM House, he said that Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism will be the key points during the dialogue with India. In response to a question if there was a possibility of a third venue for talks in light of the mediation offered by US President Donald Trump, the premier ruled out the possibility of China as a neutral venue, saying India would never agree to that. However, a participant told Dawn, the PM expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia could be the third country w...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has efficiently expanded its international health cooperation with key partners, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and China, signalling a strategic push to modernize its healthcare system and strengthen public health security, in a series of high-level diplomatic engagements.

The Pakistan Haj Mission (PHM) has welcomed 38,229 pilgrims in Saudi Arabia (Madina and Makkah) under the government scheme since the start of the month-long pre-Haj flight operation on April 29. These pilgrims arrived via 143 flights under the government scheme, while 3,440 more intending pilgrims through 13 flights will reach the holy land today, said Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Sharing the details with APP, he said that there are five scheduled flights from Lahore, four from Karachi, three from Islamabad and one from Multan today. This year, the PHM will host over 88,380 pilgrims under the government scheme and more than 23,000 under the private scheme. He said that as possession of the Nusuk Card is a mandatory requirement for entering Haram Sharif, the pilgrims are being given these through Tawafa Company Al-Rajhi, responsible for facilitating Pakistani pilgrims during Haj, soon after their arrival. The PHM is utilising Pak Haj App, two toll-free helplines 80024...

PARIS: Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace. HRW said that “scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation”. The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had “failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families” including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. “The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other ‘giga-projects’,” HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA C...

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has deported a total of 5,033 Pakistani beggars whereas another 369 individuals have been apprehended for begging in five other countries in the last 16 months. This information was placed before the National Assembly by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday in a written reply to a question asked by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Sehar Kamran. The official data provided by the minister shows that a total of 5,402 Pakistanis have been deported from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since January 2024. As many as 4,850 Pakistani nationals faced deportation from these countries in the year 2024 whereas 552 have returned to Pakistan this year. The questioner has sought data of the last three years, but the minister provided details of the period starting from January 2024. Another 369 individuals caught begging in five other countries; nearly 52pc deportees belong to Sindh; Pakistan has expelled over one million illegal Afghans Interesting...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday received Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Adel Al-Jubeir, here at the PM House and discussed the prevailing situation in South Asia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries to impress upon India to de-escalate and defuse tensions in South Asia, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Hajj flight operation to transport intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia commenced today with PIA flight PK-713 departing from Islamabad International Airport for Madinah this morning.