Pakistan, Saudi Arabia waive visas for official passport holders
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signed the agreement on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement waiving visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday.
The agreement was signed during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Dar is representing Pakistan.
Dar announced the signing on X, saying he and Prince Faisal signed the document removing visa conditions for Pakistanis and Saudis holding diplomatic, official or special passports.
Under the agreement, relevant Pakistani and Saudi officials who carry such passports will be exempt from obtaining a visa in advance when travelling between the two countries for official work.
Dar said the step is meant to ease government visits and direct contacts between institutions. He said it will facilitate high-level engagement and institutional exchanges and help deepen cooperation across different sectors.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already maintain close political, diplomatic, defence and economic ties, with regular meetings between senior officials and official delegations.
The visa waiver does not apply to ordinary passport holders. No timeline for the new rule to take effect was immediately given beyond Dar's statement.
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