Pakistan looks to unlock Saudi investment in visit following defence pactSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embrace each other on the day they sign a defence agreement, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sept 17, 2025. Photo: ReutersSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embrace each other on the day they sign a defence agreement, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sept 17, 2025. Under last month's defence deal Pakistani forces are expected to be stationed in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh indicating it will also come under the protection of Islamabad’s nuclear weapons. “Don’t just ask us for money.”Past Saudi pledges of large investment in Pakistan in recent years have not delivered. A Pakistani official said that the Saudi visit was focused on the private sector and that Pakistan recognised that institutional reforms were needed.
