ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Thursday met Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and discussed the ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

According to the military’s media wing, COAS Gen Munir is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 4-10.

This is Gen Munir’s first official trip outside of Pakistan ever since he took charge as the army chief.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the army chief during the visit would be meeting the senior leadership of both countries and discussing matters of mutual interest, military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relations focusing on security-related subjects.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), COAS Munir met with Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh where the two discussed matters of mutual interest.

At the outset of the meeting, the Saudi minister congratulated Gen Munir on his appointment as the new army chief.

“During the meeting, they emphasised the strength and durability of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries, and discussed military and defence cooperation, and ways to support and enhance them, in addition to discussing the most important regional and international issues of common interest,” the SPA said.

Later, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid Bin Salman also shared his picture with the visiting Pakistan army chief.

“We emphasised the strategic partnership between our brotherly countries, reviewed the bilateral military and defence relations, and discussed ways of strengthening our cooperation,” he tweeted. Prince Salman also mentioned in his tweet that he was pleased to meet Pakistan’s army chief.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023