Riyadh and Islamabad ease travel for officials to boost defense and trade ties

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual visa exemption agreement on Tuesday, 22 September, allowing holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports to travel between the two nations without short-term visa requirements. The deal was formalised on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar signed the document following bilateral talks. The agreement specifically targets the streamlining of travel procedures for government officials to enhance diplomatic coordination and expand administrative cooperation between Riyadh and Islamabad. Strengthening Strategic Ties During the meeting, both ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and addressed regional security developments. Discussions focused on de-escalation efforts in the Middle East and the pursuit of diplomatic resolutions to ongoing regional conflicts. The visa waiver follows a period of intensified bilateral activity, including the launch of a joint economic cooperation framework and frequent high-level military exchanges. This administrative shift follows a series of recent multilateral security arrangements. In September 2025, the two nations signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, which was followed by the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August 2026, a trilateral pact involving Turkey. The visa exemption is the latest…