The navies of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have close cooperation and have held a number of joint trainings and exercises JEDDAH: Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad, met Pakistan’s chief of the naval staff, Adm. Zafar Mahmood Abbasi at his office in Islamabad on Friday and discussed issues relating to bilateral ties. “During the meeting both sides discussed issues of mutual interest,” the Saudi Embassy said in a tweet. The navies of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have close cooperation and have held a number of joint trainings and exercises. The Pakistan naval ship, the PNS Saif, is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia and its commanding officer, Capt. Shahid Wasif, early this week hosted a reception on the PNS Saif at the Jeddah Islamic Port. Capt. Tariq Al-Seeri, a representative of the Saudi Royal Navy, also attended the reception. According to the statement issued by Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah, Wasif said that “Saudi Arabia has a very significant role and position in the region. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have time-tested and mutually supportive relations.” Earlier this year, in February, the joint naval exercises between the Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Naseem Al-Bahr-11 and Daraa Al Sahil-4, were held in the Arabian Gulf at the East Fleet at the King Abdulaziz naval base.