Shehbaz, MBS Plan Early Meeting as Gulf Escalation Tests Regional Security
By Shahzaib Saqib — SCN NEWS
ISLAMABAD/RIYADH — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have agreed to meet at an early date as Pakistan intensifies diplomatic engagement with Riyadh amid Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure and growing fears that the widening regional conflict could further disrupt energy supplies and the global economy.
The two leaders spoke by telephone on September 13 and agreed to remain in close contact, according to an official statement from Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office. No date or venue for their next meeting was announced, making the official formulation — that they looked forward to meeting at an “early date” — more precise than reports suggesting a fixed summit has already been scheduled.
Shehbaz strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks and expressed Pakistan's solidarity with Saudi Arabia's leadership and people. He warned that the attacks threatened regional peace and security and could have consequences extending beyond the Gulf through disruption to global energy supplies and the wider economy.
The Saudi account of the call adds an important dimension. Saudi reporting said the leaders discussed regional developments and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, while Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan's support for the Kingdom's security and condemned attacks against vital oil infrastructure. The Saudi account also said Shehbaz praised Riyadh's restraint and its support for Iraqi government efforts to prevent Iraqi territory being used for attacks against Saudi Arabia and neighbouring states.
That makes the conversation more than a bilateral expression of solidarity. It comes as Pakistan is simultaneously aligning itself firmly with Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and security while trying to preserve a role in efforts to prevent the broader Middle East confrontation from escalating further.
Shehbaz told Mohammed bin Salman that he, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar would continue efforts aimed at defusing tensions and promoting regional peace. The crown prince, in turn, thanked Pakistan for its support for the Kingdom and acknowledged Islamabad's efforts toward regional peace and stability.
Pakistan had already sharpened its position following attacks on Saudi facilities earlier in September. The Foreign Office condemned Houthi strikes against Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran and said Pakistan supported Saudi Arabia's right, consistent with the UN Charter and international law, to defend its territory, citizens and national assets. Shehbaz separately described attacks on civilian and energy facilities as a threat to regional security.
The energy dimension gives the latest Pakistan-Saudi engagement wider international significance. Recent attacks have extended to strategically important Saudi oil infrastructure, while the broader regional conflict has already raised concerns over the security of energy flows and maritime routes. An extended confrontation involving Saudi infrastructure could therefore affect states far beyond the immediate battlefield.
For Islamabad, the challenge is increasingly delicate: demonstrate unequivocal support for a longstanding strategic partner facing attacks on its territory while continuing to advocate de-escalation rather than a widening cycle of retaliation. The planned Shehbaz-MBS meeting could become an important indicator of how Pakistan intends to balance those two objectives as the regional crisis develops.
The fact that both leaders now want an early face-to-face meeting suggests the Pakistan-Saudi dialogue is moving beyond routine crisis consultation. What has not yet been announced is equally important: neither government has publicly disclosed a date, location or formal agenda for that meeting. Until those details emerge, its significance lies in the political signal — Islamabad and Riyadh intend to maintain high-level coordination as pressure on Gulf security intensifies.