Speaker of National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf on Tuesday said that parliamentary exchanges are an effective tool for regional development. During a meeting with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, he said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always enjoyed strong fraternal ties deeply rooted in our shared religion, culture, traditions and mutual goodwill. “Both nations have stood by each other in the testing times,” he added. During the meeting, they renewed their commitment to further enhance cordial relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Pervez Ashraf remarked that the people and Government of Pakistan have deep respect for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Saudi leadership. He added that Pakistan remains fully committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia as the country attaches immense importance to its relations with Saudi Arabia. The Speaker said that Saudi Arabia has always generously contributed to the social and economic development of Pakistan. Emphasizing enhancing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the Speaker mentioned that cooperation in different spheres for mutual interest would be mutually beneficial. Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan’s Parliament has always been proactive to improve brotherly relations. He added that Parliamentary exchanges would further boost bilateral relations between the countries. Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki said that Saudi Arabia also attaches great importance to its deep-rooted ties with Pakistan and considers it a sincere friend. He assured the Speaker that Saudi Arabia would continue to cooperate in the social sector in Pakistan. He commended the role of Pakistani expatriates in the economic development of Saudi Arabia. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the current level of cooperation in diverse areas and stressed the need to further strengthen mutual ties.