ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi concluded his official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday with high-level engagements in the Makkah Region, where Saudi officials reaffirmed support for strengthening bilateral ties and welcomed a landmark partnership to develop Jeddah's first international-standard cricket stadium.

The visit reflected the expanding scope of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations, with cooperation advancing simultaneously in security, sports, investment and people-to-people exchanges as both countries continue to build on their longstanding strategic partnership.

Naqvi met Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, deputy governor of the Makkah Region, and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthening the historic and brotherly relations between the two countries, according to updates shared on his official WhatsApp channel.

During the meeting, Naqvi thanked the Saudi leadership for the excellent arrangements made for Pakistani pilgrims performing Umrah and Hajj.

The Saudi official reaffirmed the Kingdom's strong commitment to its relationship with Pakistan and pledged continued cooperation across areas of mutual interest.

Prince Saud also welcomed the strategic agreement recently signed between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF), praising the decision to establish Jeddah's first international-standard cricket stadium.

According to Naqvi's office, the acting governor expressed his full support for the project and assured complete cooperation with the PCB in facilitating construction of the stadium within the Makkah Region.

Earlier in the day, Naqvi, in his capacity as PCB chairman, visited the proposed stadium site at King Fahd Abdulaziz University in Jeddah alongside SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The two officials inspected various sections of the venue, reviewed spectator enclosures and discussed proposed modifications to prepare the facility for international cricket.

"The stadium will greatly help promote cricket in Saudi Arabia, and hosting international events here will soon become possible," Naqvi said.

He also thanked the SACF chairman for his support, saying, "I am extremely grateful to Prince Saud bin Mishaal Al Saud for his unwavering cooperation."

"It is a great honor for the Pakistan Cricket Board to contribute to Saudi Arabia's remarkable cricket journey," he added.

The stadium visit followed the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding between the PCB and the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation to develop the Jeddah venue as part of broader efforts to advance cricket in the Kingdom and support Saudi Vision 2030.

Earlier during the visit, Naqvi met Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Riyadh, where the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation.

In a statement posted on X, the Saudi interior minister said the two leaders had affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening security cooperation and signed an MoU in the security field reflecting "the strength of the strategic partnership and the depth of the longstanding relations" between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Naqvi also toured Riyadh's Unified Security Operations Center (911), where he reviewed its operational departments, advanced technologies and the integrated coordination system linking Saudi Arabia's security agencies.

The visit underscored the growing breadth of Pakistan-Saudi engagement, with new initiatives spanning internal security cooperation and sports infrastructure while reinforcing the two countries' enduring strategic partnership and close bilateral ties.

Pak-Saudi ties

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia advance security cooperation, Jeddah cricket stadium project