Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to launch a comprehensive Economic Cooperation Framework to strengthen trade, investment, and development links between the two nations.
The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on October 27, 2025.
Building on nearly eight decades of close relations grounded in Islamic brotherhood and mutual trust, the new framework aims to expand cooperation across key sectors, including energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture, and food security.
Both sides also discussed a number of strategic initiatives and agreed to expedite the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for an electricity interconnection project and wider energy collaboration.
The initiative is expected to deepen public and private sector engagement, expand bilateral trade and promote sustainable economic growth in both countries.
Reaffirming their shared vision for a durable and mutually beneficial partnership, the two leaders expressed confidence that the Saudi-Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council would soon convene to accelerate progress on this collaborative agenda.
FM Dar meets Saudi counterpart
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar also met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Monday.
The two ministers reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and discussed regional and global developments, including the situation in Gaza. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to cooperation at multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, and agreed to deepen the multifaceted Pak-Saudi partnership across all domains.
Dar congratulated the Saudi leadership on the successful hosting of the Future Investment Initiative Forum and extended appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to the Pakistani delegation.
Deepening strategic ties
The renewed economic engagement follows a landmark defense pact signed just over a month earlier, under which both countries pledged to consider any act of aggression against one as an act of aggression against both - a move underscoring their growing strategic and military alignment.
The Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, signed during Prime Minister Sharif’s earlier visit to Riyadh, aims to enhance security cooperation, strengthen joint deterrence against regional threats, and contribute to peace and stability in the broader region.
In a joint statement at the time, both sides described the pact as a reflection of their “shared commitment to enhancing security and achieving peace in the region and the world.”
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