Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan has been postponed “for the time being” until mutually convenient dates are finalised by the two sides, Business Recorder reported on Sunday.

The news outlet while quoting sources said that the two countries are in touch at the diplomatic level to finalise the visit “as soon as possible”. They did not cite any reason behind the delay.

If reports are confirmed, it would be the second time the crown prince’s visit is postponed. His trip to Pakistan in November 2022 faced delays due to political uncertainties and elections.

This month’s visit to Pakistan was expected to take place before or after the crown prince’s scheduled visit to Japan, which is being held from May 20 to 23.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Mohammed bin Salman to visit Pakistan during his official tour to Saudi Arabia.

The crown prince had accepted the invitation. A delegation of influential Saudi businessmen visited Pakistan earlier this week, engaging in discussions with Pakistani counterparts to explore investment opportunities.

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This visit aligned with the government’s ongoing efforts to attract Saudi investment, as part of a comprehensive strategy to address Pakistan’s economic challenges.

When asked about the crown prince’s visit at the press briefing on May 9, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch: “As you know, we do not make announcements of visits prematurely so I am not in a position to give you the dates of any of those visits.”