Saudi Arabia awards highest honour to Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir

Saudi Arabia has awarded Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir with the King Abdulaziz Medal of the Excellent Class, the kingdom’s highest honour.

Munir was awarded the honour for his “distinguished efforts to enhance our cooperation and advance the Saudi-Pakistani relations”, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said in a statement on Monday.

The development is the latest in the booming Saudi-Pakistan relationship that has seen two sides reach a mutual defence agreement, investment pledges, and increased cooperation on regional affairs over the past year. Munir is understood to have played a leading role in rising bonhomie as Pakistan’s de facto ruler.

Under the Saudi-Pakistan defence pact, Pakistan will deploy approximately 25,000 soldiers to Saudi Arabia to assist with the kingdom’s security, conduct joint operations, and train Saudi forces in exchange of Saudi investments to the tune of $10 billion, CNN-News 18 has previously reported.

In their meeting, Khalid said he congratulated Munir on his appointment as Chief of Defense Forces and reviewed “our historical relations and strategic defense cooperation”.

“We also discussed efforts to promote international peace and security, as well as other topics of mutual interest,” said Khalid.

Munir is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, which is his first visit to the kingdom his elevation as the Chief of Defence Forces.

Following the felicitation, Pakistan’s military said the conferring of the award “underscores the depth of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations and the shared determination of both nations to strengthen further strategic cooperation in pursuit of regional and global peace”, according to Associated Press.

The honour recognises Munir’s military service, leadership, and efforts in advancing defense cooperation, strategic coordination and institutional links between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the statement read.