Saudi Arabia extends Umrah invitation to Nawaz Sharif, PM Shehbaz

Islamabad: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on Sunday extended an invitation to Nawaz Sharif, the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit the kingdom and perform Umrah as a gesture of goodwill.

Nawaz Sharif, who is believed to have close ties with the royal family, had been in self-imposed exile in London on medical grounds since November 2019.

The sources said that the former prime minister would travel to Saudi Arabia with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other family members via a special plane on April 11. The sources further disclosed that Nawaz Sharif would spend the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan in Medina and Makkah as the royal guest of the kingdom.

The exact schedule of Sharif's visit to Saudi Arabia has not been announced yet. However, it was worth noting that several Pakistani ministers and parliamentarians had planned to perform Umrah during this period.

This invitation from the Saudi King was a significant development and highlights the close relationship between the two countries. It also served as a positive signal for the PML-N party, which has faced numerous challenges in recent years.

The visit would provide an opportunity for Nawaz Sharif to interact with the royal family and strengthen diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.