Pakistan says Saudi FM praised Islamabad’s peace role in telephone call on regional developments

Pakistan says Saudi FM praised Islamabad’s peace role in telephone call on regional developments
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (L) and his Pakistan's counterpart Ishaq Dar arrive to address a joint press conference at the foreign ministry in Islamabad on April 16, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 16 October 2025
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Pakistan says Saudi FM praised Islamabad’s peace role in telephone call on regional developments

Pakistan says Saudi FM praised Islamabad’s peace role in telephone call on regional developments
  • Pakistan’s Foreign Office says Prince Faisal commended Islamabad’s commitment to peace, urged stability
  • Call comes as Pakistan faces border tensions with Afghanistan and watches post-truce developments in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss the regional situation and recent developments, and commended Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and stability.

The telephone call comes amid rising friction on multiple fronts. Pakistan has been locked in border clashes and airstrike exchanges with Afghanistan, while attention remains fixed on Gaza, where a ceasefire is in effect, but reconstruction and repatriation challenges persist.

Pakistan also had its worst conflict in years with archrival and nuclear-armed India in years this May, when they exchanged artillery, missile and drone strikes got days behind the US brokered a ceasefire.

These overlapping pressures have pushed Islamabad to reinforce its diplomatic relationships with key partners like Saudi Arabia.

“H.H. Prince Faisal appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to peace & security in the region and emphasized the importance of collective efforts for stability,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement after the two leaders spoke via telephone

It added that Dar “expressed gratitude for the Kingdom’s continued support and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work closely with Saudi Arabia to further strengthen cooperation on regional & international issues.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long maintained a close partnership combining religious, economic, and security dimensions. Saudi Arabia has frequently supported Pakistan in regional diplomacy and development finance, while Islamabad views Riyadh as a key strategic fallback in times of regional stress.


Pakistan’s Rauf given two-match ban, others sanctioned for Asia Cup behavior

Pakistan’s Rauf given two-match ban, others sanctioned for Asia Cup behavior
Updated 04 November 2025
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Pakistan’s Rauf given two-match ban, others sanctioned for Asia Cup behavior

Pakistan’s Rauf given two-match ban, others sanctioned for Asia Cup behavior
  • Others whohave been sanctioned include India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah as well as Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan
  • Emotions ran high around the matches between the nuclear-armed neighbors, who engaged in a brief military conflict in May

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has received a two-match suspension for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct during matches against India at the Asia Cup in September, the governing body said on Tuesday.

India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah as well as Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan also committed the same offense of breaching article 2.21 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute,” the ICC said in a statement.

Emotions ran high around the matches between the nuclear-armed neighbors, who engaged in a brief military conflict in May.

The teams faced each other three times in the eight-team tournament with India prevailing on all three occasions. Defending champions India refused to shake hands with Pakistani players during the matches.

The ICC, cricket’s governing body, did not state the specific nature of the offenses in its statement on Tuesday.

ESPNCricinfo reported in September that Rauf had made numerous gestures to indicate aircraft going down, while Farhan celebrated by holding his bat like a gun.

India captain Yadav made a remark dedicating their win over Pakistan on September 14 to the Indian armed forces, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board to file a complaint against him to the ICC. Cricinfo reported on Tuesday that Bumrah was cited for a gesture he made during the final.

India, who won the final on September 28, refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president and Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Rauf, who received four demerit points for two offenses, misses Pakistan’s One-Day International (ODI) matches against South Africa on Tuesday and Thursday. He was also fined 30 percent of his match fees in two games.

Yadav was also fined 30 percent of his match fees in one match. Bumrah and Farhan were given official warnings.