In a significant step to boost bilateral ties, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday that Saudi citizens can now travel to Pakistan without requiring a visa.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki, at the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave, Naqvi said Saudi nationals are welcome to visit Pakistan at any time under the new visa-free travel arrangement.
The meeting covered a broad range of issues, including mutual efforts to combat drug trafficking, human smuggling, and organized crime. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in security, economic development, and cross-border crime prevention.
“There are very close and historic ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and we want to deepen them further,” said Ambassador Al-Maliki, who warmly received Minister Naqvi at the embassy.
Naqvi expressed appreciation for the Saudi government’s consistent support in Pakistan’s economic and social development sectors. He also acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s vital assistance in securing the release and repatriation of five Pakistani family members held abroad.
“Saudi Arabia provided critical support in ensuring the safe return of the innocent family,” he noted, calling it a testament to the strong humanitarian cooperation between the two nations.
On domestic efforts, the interior minister emphasized Pakistan’s renewed crackdown on organized begging networks that operate under the pretense of legal migration. “The siege against the beggar mafia has been tightened,” Naqvi stated, adding that new conditions for passport issuance are being implemented to prevent misuse and illegal immigration.
