PM Shehbaz set for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye visit amid regional tensions

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to undertake a three-country visit starting with Saudi Arabia as Pakistan steps up diplomatic engagement amid changing regional tensions, according to well-placed sources.

The visit, which had earlier been reported as limited to Saudi Arabia, has now been revised. The prime minister is expected to travel first to Saudi Arabia, then to Qatar, and conclude the tour in Turkiye, the sources said.

According to the sources, the trip to the three friendly countries will centre on consultations regarding diplomatic developments and regional stability. During the Saudi leg of the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The sources said the two sides are expected to discuss bilateral matters as well as wider regional and international developments. They said, Important bilateral matters between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will come under discussion, adding that Islamabad Talks will also feature on the agenda.

Consultations are also expected to cover the situation around the Strait of Hormuz and the next round of US-Iran talks, the sources said, as tensions continue to influence the regional environment. They added that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen ties and expand cooperation in different sectors.

Islamabad Talks and regional diplomacy

Pakistan has recently drawn international attention for its role as a mediator between the United States and Iran in efforts aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.

The Islamabad Talks, described as the first direct meeting between US and Iranian officials in more than a decade, continued from Saturday into early Sunday. The discussions were also the highest-level engagement between the two sides since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The talks took place only days after a ceasefire began last Tuesday, intended to halt six weeks of fighting that killed hundreds of people across the Gulf, disrupted critical energy supplies and raised fears of a broader regional conflict.

No formal agreement emerged from the 21-hour negotiations. Afterward, the US military began blockading all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, placing a fragile two-week ceasefire at risk.

Reuters, citing four sources, has reported that negotiating teams from the United States and Iran could return to Islamabad this week.

The expected visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz comes against this backdrop of continued diplomatic activity, with consultations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye likely to focus on security concerns and political developments affecting the region.