Saudi crown prince confers Order of King Abdulaziz on COAS Gen Bajwa

• Saudi Arabia awards order of merit to COAS Gen Bajwa.
• Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives COAS Gen Bajwa in Jeddah.
• Two sides discuss matters of mutual interests and bilateral defence.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been awarded the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class, an order of merit named after Saudi Arabia's founder, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Sunday.

A statement issued by ISPR stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz conferred the medal upon COAS General Bajwa in recognition of his significant contributions to defence cooperation between the two countries.

The army chief is currently on a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he called on Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of KSA and General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff (CGS) Saudi Armed Forces at Jeddah. 

"During the meetings, matters of mutual interests, bilateral defence and security cooperation and regional peace and stability were discussed. COAS General Bajwa said that Pakistan values its historical and brotherly relations with the Kingdom and acknowledges its unique place in the Islamic world," the military's media wing stated. 

It further stated that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed upon enhancing defence cooperation in the fields of joint training, air defence, counter-terrorism and communication and information domain. They also agreed to further enhance cordial relations and a deep spirit of brotherhood into an enduring strategic partnership, while being vital players in the region with significant responsibility towards the unity of the Muslim Ummah.

Meanwhile, Saudi state media shared pictures from the meeting where COAS General Bajwa was awarded.

As per Saudi Press Agency the meeting was attended by Saudi Deputy Minister of Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad Al-Ruwaili and a number of senior officials both from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.