Khar, who was on her first official visit to the Kingdom since she became a minister, was in Riyadh on an invitation from her Saudi counterpart Nizar Madani.
She held talks with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on bilateral and regional matters and also met Yousef Al-Bassam, vice chairman and managing director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), in Riyadh on Sunday.
On Saturday, she had discussions with Madani and Hamad Al-Bazei, vice minister of finance.
During her meeting with Prince Saud, the visiting minister conveyed the greetings of the Pakistani president and prime minister to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and also conveyed condolences on the passing away of Princess Seeta bint Abdulaziz.
Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer and Ayaz Muhammed Khan, charge d’affaires of the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh, attended the two-way talks.
The two sides expressed satisfaction over the existing state of brotherly relations and underscored the need for frequent high-level exchanges to closely consult on the evolving situation in the region.
“Both sides agreed to the holding of a joint ministerial council as well as bilateral political consultations at an early date,” Khar said, adding that there will be enhanced relations between the two countries.
The Saudi foreign minister expressed full support to Pakistan’s deeper engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as for an early conclusion of the Pakistan-GCC free trade agreement. He also received an invitation to visit Pakistan on a convenient date.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues. The Saudi foreign minister expressed support for Pakistan’s efforts to bring peace and stability in the region.
She pointed out that the situation in the Middle East is changing for the better. “It’s unfortunate that most of the countries affected are Muslim countries. As Muslim nations we should be united and display our solidarity in facing challenges,” she said, adding that Pakistan is for peace and stability in the region.
“We are espousing this cause even in our part of the world,” she said, adding that her country wants peace in Afghanistan and it has made fresh moves with India for a peaceful dialogue.
Pakistan's economy is steadily picking up, she said, adding that its exports have crossed $20 billion and its foreign exchange reserves have also increased largely.
Regarding the conditions laid out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for granting of financial aid, she said that she does not treat them as conditions. “These are economic reforms, we would consider them to reshape the economy," she added.
Speaking about US drone attacks in Pakistan, she said they are a gross violation of human rights and an infringement on the country’s sovereignty. “We want other peace loving countries to put diplomatic pressure on the US to stop these attacks which have already taken a toll on innocent human lives,” she said.
During her talks with SFD officials, the state minister requested financial aid for the Basha Dam and the Neelam Jhelum Hydro Electric Power Project. The Basha Dam project has an unutilized SFD allocation of $300 million, while the Jhelum project needs $80 million. Al-Bassam also said that SFD would consider implementing an income-generating program for the flood victims of Pakistan.
