Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have reviewed bilateral relations and the ways to enhance them. This came during a reception where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir at the winter camp in AlUla city, Medina province.

“During the reception, they reviewed bilateral relations and the ways to enhancing them, in addition to a number of issues of common concern,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Monday.

The army chief is on an official visit to KSA and UAE from January 4 to 10, according to Inter-Services Public Relations. He would be meeting the senior leadership of both brotherly countries to discuss matters of mutual interest, military-to-military cooperation, and bilateral relations focusing on security related subjects.

The reception was attended by Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban.

The reception was also attended by Pakistani Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ameer Khurram and a number of Pakistani officials, the SPA added.

Last week, the COAS met Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and discussed the ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries. The two leaders, during the meeting, emphasised the strength and durability of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries.

The visit comes at a time when Pakistan is dealing with a crippling economic crisis as the country’s foreign reserves have depleted to less than $6 billion, which economic experts say can just cover a month of import. It is also facing the challenge of mounting inflation that jumped by nearly 31 per cent as compared to last year, amid a big surge in the prices of foods and a couple of fuel items.

But, Pakistan hopes that Saudi Arabia and China would beef up its reserves. “The International Mo­netary Fund progra­mme would be completed at all costs, China and Saudi Arabi would enhance their support, government-to-government disinvestments would be completed, and the current acc­ount deficit would be about $3 billion less than earlier projections,” Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said in a press conference on January 4.

“Our foreign exchange reserves by end-June would be much better than you can think,” he had said.

In the past, friendly countries had extended financial support to Pakistan. Riyadh had agreed to revive its financial support to Pakistan, including about $3 billion in safe deposits and $1.2bn to $1.5bn worth of oil supplies on deferred payments in October during former prime minister Imran Khan’s tenure.