'Saudi Arabia has complete faith' in Pakistan, Shahbaz says upon return from the Kingdom

Addressing the media shortly after his return from Saudi Arabia, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the Kingdom retains complete faith in Pakistan.

The chief minister made the remark while addressing a press conference at a kidney and liver transplant institute, where he had gone directly after landing at Lahore airport.

"If we look at Pakistan's 70-year history, [we can see that] at every turn — during earthquakes, storms and wars — Saudi Arabia has stood by Pakistan on both diplomatic and international levels," the chief minister, who had travelled in mysterious circumstances to Saudi Arabia on Dec 27, told the press.

On December 30, his brother, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, had followed him to the Kingdom. Opposition parties have remained suspicious of the purpose of the Sharifs' visit, with many interpreting it as an attempt to coerce an 'NRO' — a colloquialism for cases opened against them to be dropped — by asking the Saudis to exert their influence in Pakistan.

The chief minister had landed in Lahore after a six-day visit to Saudi Arabia where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Muhammad.

When asked by a journalist if the visit to Saudi Arabia was an attempt to secure an NRO, Shahbaz left the question unanswered, only saying, "for God's sake!".

His elder brother is set to return to Pakistan later today.