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Top civilian, military leaderships meet Saudi crown prince

Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership held separate formal and informal meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz and his delegation Sunday and Monday during which intense discussions took place on a wide spectrum of bilateral and regional issues, officials here said.

During the visit of Prince Salma, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will sign a number of agreements crafted to emphasise their reinforced relationship and its significance for the regional security environment.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif led Pakistan side in formal talks with Crown Prince Salman and his delegation. Separately, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen. Rashad Mehmood and army chief Gen Raheel Sharif called on the prince on Monday. Earlier on Sunday, PM’S Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs also met the Saudi Crown Prince. Prince Salman’s arrival statement carried by Arab media on his visit to Pakistan was a clear hint that regional agenda would dominate the interaction.

A Saudi diplomat said the visit was for “consultation and coordination on issues of mutual concern and regional and international developments” and to explore ways for collaboration for contributing to “global peace and stability” and “supporting Islamic causes”.

Both sides on Monday signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in areas ranging from trade and investment to defence and security. Prince Salman and Prime Minister Sharif were present on this occasion.

A pact for dealing with organised crime and drug trafficking and accords on exchange of convicted prisoners and defence cooperation were the highlights of the MoUs.

Foreign Affairs and National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz said after meeting the crown prince that he had an extensive “exchange of views on regional and global changes”, including the likely role the two countries could play for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Aziz declined to disclose what had been agreed in the meeting.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who also called on the Saudi leader, and said in a statement that cooperation in the defence sector would be strengthened.

The two agreed on “exchange of military personnel for training”, a defence ministry statement said.

In their meeting with Prince Salman, Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and JCSC chief Gen Rashad Mahmood, discussed issues related to defence cooperation and regional security. Moreover, it was also agreed in the meeting that the two countries would share counter-terrorism intelligence whereas a memorandum of understanding (MoU) would be signed in the field of security cooperation.

news@khaleejtimes.com