Saudi Arabia approves air transport services pact with Pakistan

The Saudi cabinet agreed on Tuesday an air transport services agreement with Pakistan, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, a step likely to boost connectivity between the two countries.

Past agreements between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the sphere of air transport services. In August 2023, the two countries inked a deal to increase the number of flights between them and reduce the air rates for the inhabitants.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud headed the Saudi cabinet as it approved the new air transport services deal at a meeting in Jeddah.

“Approval of an agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the field of air transport services,” SPA said on X. The deal is significant for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia since every year thousands of Pakistanis visit the Kingdom for Hajj and Umrah and for jobs.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than two million Pakistani expatriates who go back and forth between the two nations often.

Pakistan has also tried to expand its aviation connection with China and Central Asian republics as it seeks to increase bilateral trade and investment links with these countries.