LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday said Saudi Arabia has always supported Pakistan wholeheartedly in testing times and Pakistan gives special significance to its ties with the brotherly country.

Talking to Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Saeed Al-Malkiy who called on him, the chief minister said brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are growing with the passage of time.

Both the functionaries discussed matters of mutual interest, promotion of ties and enhancement of cooperation in various fields. The chief minster talked to the Saudi ambassador in Arabic.

Shehbaz Sharif said trade and industrial tries between Pakistan and Saudi Arab are strengthening further. He said the government is making efforts to bring improvement in every field of life and reasonable resources are being spent for this purpose.

CM Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have religious, historical and cultural relations and the people of both the countries have close hearty and spiritual links while a strong bond of brotherhood also exists between the people of the two countries. He said the hearts of the people of both the countries beat together and they equally share happiness and unhappiness of each other. He said Saudi Arabia has always extended diplomatic support to Pakistan, besides giving praiseworthy cooperation for social development and promotion of industry and trade in Pakistan.

Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Malkiy praised the measures taken by the Punjab government for improvement in the social sector and for prosperity of the public. He said Saudi Arabia gives special importance to ties with Pakistan, and friendly and brotherly relations between both the countries are strengthening with the passage of time. He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always supported each other like brothers.