ISLAMABAD: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has deeply appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts and praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s diplomatic outreach as the two leaders held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday amid the raging Middle East crisis.
The Crown Prince expressed strong appreciation for Islamabad’s constructive role in urging all parties towards de-escalation through dialogue at a time when Iranian strikes have targeted Saudi facilities including the Prince Sultan Air Base.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office statement the premier conveyed warm Eid ul Fitr greetings to King Salman bin Abdulaziz the royal family and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia while reiterating Pakistan’s unequivocal condemnation of recent attacks on the Kingdom.
PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its people stressing that Pakistan would always stand by the Kingdom just as Riyadh has supported Islamabad through thick and thin over decades.
He particularly appreciated the Saudi leadership’s remarkable restraint in the current crisis and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to restore normalcy and stabilise the region.
The prime minister briefed the Crown Prince on Pakistan’s proactive diplomatic engagements with all stakeholders emphasising the need to resolve differences through peaceful means rather than escalation.
Data from the State Bank of Pakistan shows that remittances from Saudi Arabia reached nearly 9 billion dollars last year accounting for around 25 percent of Pakistan’s total global remittance inflows which touched a record 38.3 billion dollars in fiscal year 2024-25.
Over two million Pakistani workers in the Kingdom send home critical foreign exchange that bolsters Pakistan’s external account stability with February 2026 inflows from Saudi Arabia alone standing at 685.5 million dollars.
Bilateral trade remains robust with Pakistan importing approximately 4 billion dollars worth of oil and petroleum products annually from Saudi Arabia while exporting 700 million dollars in rice meat and textiles.
The ties received a major boost in September 2025 with the signing of the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between the two nations marking a new era of security cooperation that includes joint deterrence against aggression.
Since 2024 Riyadh and Islamabad have concluded 34 bilateral agreements worth over 2.8 billion dollars spanning agriculture manpower technology mining and information technology sectors.
Pakistan continues to benefit from Saudi oil on deferred payment terms with the latest 1.2 billion dollar facility signed earlier this year easing immediate fiscal pressures on the energy sector.
The Crown Prince warmly reciprocated the Eid greetings and both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination at all levels to navigate the challenging regional environment.
PM Shehbaz Sharif later posted on X highlighting the cordial exchange and Pakistan’s commitment to Muslim unity and harmony which he described as more essential now than ever before.
Analysts note that Pakistan’s balanced approach positions it uniquely as a trusted mediator given its longstanding military training support to Saudi forces and deep people-to-people bonds forged over generations.
As the US-Iran-Israel conflict risks disrupting global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz the Crown Prince’s praise underscores Islamabad’s growing stature in regional peace architecture.
The conversation reflects the enduring strategic partnership that has weathered multiple crises and continues to deliver mutual benefits in security economy and diplomacy for both nations.