Sharif in Saudi Arabia for Umrah

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today flew to Saudi Arabia for performing the Umrah pilgrimage.
Upon his arrival at the Jeddah airport, the Prime Minister was received by officials of the Pakistan embassy. Sharif is scheduled to perform Umrah in Mecca, Radio Pakistan reported.
Sharif visits Mecca towards the end of Ramadan each year to offer special prayers.
The Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the Haj.
During his stay in Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister will also meet the Saudi royal family.
He is expected to offer condolence at the death of Saudi Arabia's former foreign minister Saud al-Faisal who died earlier this week.

Pakistan enjoys special ties with the country but the relations became tense when Islamabad refused to participate in Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen.
In April, Prime Minister Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif had visited Saudi Arabia for a day to convey to the royal family that Pakistan was committed towards the unity and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia.