Islamabad, May 9, 2025: Amid rapidly worsening tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, arrived in Islamabad on Friday for high-level talks—just a day after his unannounced diplomatic stop in New Delhi.
According to Radio Pakistan, Al-Jubeir was warmly received at the airport by the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His visit marks a critical moment in growing international efforts to de-escalate hostilities in South Asia.
Shortly after his arrival, Al-Jubeir held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the Foreign Office, where the two discussed a range of issues, with particular emphasis on the recent military confrontations across the Line of Control (LoC) and India’s missile strikes on Pakistani territory.
Sources close to the matter said that Saudi Arabia and the United States have taken on prominent roles as intermediaries in the crisis. Their diplomatic interventions were especially visible on Thursday, with coordinated outreach to both Islamabad and New Delhi.
While Al-Jubeir engaged leaders in both capitals, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and later held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signaling growing international concern over the risk of full-scale escalation.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan conveyed to both Saudi and American interlocutors that it does not seek war, but expects the international community to condemn India’s unprovoked missile strikes that resulted in civilian casualties. Islamabad has also demanded that India reverse its recent decision to suspend bilateral treaties, which Pakistan views as a destabilizing and unilateral move.
Al-Jubeir is expected to continue consultations with Pakistani civil and military leadership during his visit, reinforcing Riyadh’s commitment to regional stability.
The Saudi envoy’s diplomatic shuttle comes at a time of high alert across the subcontinent. On Wednesday, India launched multiple airstrikes on Pakistani soil, which New Delhi claimed targeted “terrorist camps.” Pakistan responded with retaliatory strikes and drone interceptions, with casualties mounting on both sides.
The international community is closely watching developments, as both countries have engaged in a war of words and weaponry, sparking fears of further escalation between two longstanding rivals armed with nuclear capabilities.
