Omani FM to visit Pakistan amid Middle East tensions
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday evening, the Omani foreign minister is visiting Pakistan on October 13 and 14 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi is arriving in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day visit amid mounting regional concerns over the Strait of Hormuz blockade and intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The visit comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking to help de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East through diplomatic channels. Meanwhile, Oman, which shares control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz with Iran, has traditionally played a mediating role in regional disputes, particularly between Tehran and Washington.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday evening, the Omani foreign minister is visiting Pakistan on October 13 and 14 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
“During the visit, the 8th Session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission would be held in Islamabad,” the Foreign Office said, adding that the meeting would be co-chaired by the foreign ministers of both countries.
“The meeting would serve as an important platform to review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Oman bilateral relations and to further strengthen cooperation in diverse fields,” the statement added.
Although the Foreign Office statement did not explicitly mention Middle East tensions, nor was there any indication that these issues were formally on the official agenda, the escalating regional crisis remains a key concern for both nations given their economic and security interests in the Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, serves as one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes. Disruptions to maritime traffic through the waterway have impacted global oil supplies and driven up energy costs, heavily affecting import-dependent economies like Pakistan.
The visit is also significant as it takes place amid a wave of attacks by the Yemen-based Houthi militia targeting Saudi airports and civilian infrastructure.
According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, a Pakistani national was killed and 11 others were injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday (October 11). Earlier on October 8, two separate attacks at the same airport claimed the lives of three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, and damaged a Saudia aircraft.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Türkiye strongly condemned the attacks, demanding an immediate end to the violence and reiterating their support for Riyadh’s efforts to safeguard its security and territorial integrity.
The Foreign Office stated that during his stay in Islamabad, the Omani foreign minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan and Oman share longstanding diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people ties, spanning bilateral trade and employment cooperation, with Oman hosting a substantial Pakistani diaspora.
