JEDDAH, Thursday, July 2, 2026 (WNP): Saudi Arabia’s Acting Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, on Thursday reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding ties with Pakistan and pledged full cooperation in the construction of Jeddah’s first international-standard cricket stadium.

The assurance came during a meeting with Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi in Jeddah.

The meeting was also attended by Governor of Jeddah Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Taif Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud, and other distinguished members of the Saudi royal family.

During the meeting, the Acting Governor emphasized the Kingdom’s deep-rooted and brotherly relations with Pakistan, describing bilateral ties as highly important and reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s commitment to extending every possible support for initiatives that further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Prince Saud bin Mishal welcomed the landmark strategic agreement recently signed between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) for the development of a state-of-the-art cricket stadium in Jeddah.

He described the decision to establish the city’s first international-standard cricket venue as a significant milestone that would contribute to the growth of cricket in the Kingdom and further enhance Saudi Arabia’s sports infrastructure.

The Acting Governor also assured full support from the Makkah Region’s administration for the successful execution of the project, expressing confidence that the stadium would strengthen sports cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia while helping position the Kingdom as a future destination for international cricket.

The meeting reflected the growing strategic partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and underscored the two countries’ shared commitment to expanding cooperation across diverse sectors, including sports, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.