He is expected to stay in the country for around six hours, after which he will depart for India on a state visit.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz named him as Saudi Arabia’s prime minister and Prince Khalid as defence minister in September 2022, a royal decree said.

Prince Muhammed has changed Saudi Arabia radically since he rose to power in 2017 as he led efforts to diversify the economy from dependence on oil, allowed women to drive and curbed the clerics’ power over society.

Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Saudi prime minister met at the Royal Palace in April during the former’s three-day visit to the kingdom. The leaders discussed bilateral ties.

Earlier, upon his arrival at the palace, the former Pakistani premier was warmly welcomed by the crown prince. He was given a guard of honour.