Overview
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in Rahim Yar Khan, pushing to elevate ties into a strategic economic partnership and expand cooperation in IT, energy, mining, minerals and defence.
- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to review the regional situation and reaffirm the drive to deepen Pakistan–Saudi cooperation.
- Shehbaz Sharif also received Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Al-Maliki in Islamabad, with both sides stressing strong bilateral ties and discussing recent regional and global developments.
- Uzbekistan’s foreign minister confirmed the Uzbek president will visit Pakistan in February 2026, with officials saying preparations are underway and the trip is expected to spur sector-wide cooperation.
- Regional tensions have sharpened after Saudi strikes near Yemen’s Mukalla targeting what Riyadh described as UAE-linked shipments to the STC, a claim the UAE rejects, and Pakistan’s role as a potential facilitator has been reported but not officially announced.