Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is in Riyadh for talks on security, counter‑narcotics and institutional cooperation, as Islamabad continues high‑level diplomatic engagement with Gulf partners after months of conflict in the Middle East, according to state‑run APP.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close political, economic, security and defense ties. The latest visit aims to strengthen security coordination with Gulf states, home to millions of Pakistani workers and among Islamabad’s most important sources of remittances, investment and diplomatic support.
Riyadh remains a key regional partner as Pakistan has worked with Qatar to mediate between the United States and Iran amid a fragile peace process intended to end months of conflict and reach a broader agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and regional security.
“The Riyadh visit is expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss matters of mutual interest, including enhancing collaboration in internal security, combating narcotics trafficking, and expanding institutional cooperation between the two interior ministries,” APP reported.
Naqvi was received at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif on Tuesday evening, APP said, describing the visit as part of ongoing efforts to deepen Pakistan‑Saudi cooperation.
The visit “is seen as part of ongoing efforts to further strengthen bilateral coordination and reinforce the longstanding partnership between the two brotherly nations,” officials noted.
Naqvi has emerged as one of Islamabad’s key envoys in regional diplomacy, including Pakistan’s recent outreach to Tehran during efforts to bring the United States and Iran to the negotiating table.
Pakistan hosted direct high‑level talks between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad in April after helping broker a ceasefire following weeks of conflict. Naqvi subsequently made several visits to Tehran as Islamabad continued shuttle diplomacy with Iranian leaders while coordinating closely with Qatar and other regional partners.
Those efforts culminated in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a Pakistan‑brokered framework that committed Washington and Tehran to a ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations toward a broader settlement covering Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and wider regional security issues.
Last month, senior US and Iranian officials met in Bürgenstock, Switzerland under the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum. Pakistan and Qatar announced afterward that the talks had produced a roadmap toward a final agreement within 60 days, established a High‑Level Committee to oversee the process and launched technical negotiations on issues including sanctions, nuclear matters, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and implementation of a ceasefire in Lebanon.