Saudi nationals no longer need visas to visit Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Saudi nationals have been exempted from needing to secure a visa to visit Pakistan, a Foreign Ministry official confirmed on Sunday.

"Yes they don’t need a visa. Saudi Arabia is included in countries that have visa-free entry into Pakistan," a ministry spokesperson told Anadolu in a written reply.

"Only official category requires a visa," the spokesperson added.

Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that Saudi citizens can now enter Pakistan without restrictions, as part of measures aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

The announcement followed a meeting between Naqvi and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy in the capital Islamabad on Sunday, an Interior Ministry statement said

Naqvi thanked Saudi authorities for their cooperation in securing the release of five Pakistani nationals who had been imprisoned in a drug smuggling case later found to be false.

Al-Malkiy, for his part, reiterated Riyadh's commitment to enhancing cooperation with Pakistan across multiple sectors.

Saudi Arabia, which welcomes 1.9 million Pakistanis a year, tops the list of countries with highest remittances to Pakistan – over $4.5 billion annually.