Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has awarded the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in recognition for his contribution towards “promotion of Pak-Saudi relations”, it emerged on Monday.
The medal has five ranks, which are excellent, first, second, third and fourth classes, Saudi Gazette reported. It is generally presented to individuals who have provided remarkable assistance to Saudi Arabia or any of its organizations.
The medal was presented to CDF Field Marshal Munir in recognition of his “eminent services and efforts to enhance the strategic relationship and cooperation” between the two countries, reported The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) late on Sunday.
It cited the ceremony being held at Riyadh as part of the visit by Saudi minister to welcome CDF Field Marshal Munir in Saudi capital.
Upon the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, I presented Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, with the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class for his distinguished efforts to enhance our cooperation and advance the Saudi-Pakistani relations. pic.twitter.com/bWHL08TKuz
— Khalid bin Salman خالد بن سلمان (@kbsalsaud) December 21, 2025
“Prince Khalid praised Field Marshal Munir on assuming the charge of chief of defence forces of Pakistan and wished him complete success for carrying out his new assignment,” it added.
“The meeting also dealt with relations between the two countries and the strategic cooperation regarding defence between them and ways of consolidating it in order to defend international peace and security, as the two sides decided to continue standings together over issues of common interest,” added the publication.
In another post on the social media platform X, the minister wrote: “On the instructions of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, I had the honor to give Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa Saudi Arabia’s highest civil award for service to Islam.”
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had in a statement issued later on Monday morning that during the meeting, matters of mutual interest — including regional security dynamics, defence and military cooperation, strategic relations and emerging geopolitical environment — came under discussion.
“The meeting re-emphasised the ‘close, historical and brotherly’ relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” it said.
It also stated that the medal was the kingdom’s “highest national honour”.
“The award also acknowledges Field Marshal Munir’s /his exceptional career in the military leadership and his being at the core of promoting defence collaboration, strategic integration and institutional affiliations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” it added.
“It is also a recognition of his efforts on regional peace and stability including long-standing engagement in counter-insurgency and counter-security threats,” it said.
In February this year, Islamabad had signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Riyadh stating that any act of aggression against one would be treated as an attack on the other.
In November, the Saudi army chief had informed about kingdom’s plans to take its defence and strategic co-operation with Pakistan to a new level.
The development comes after on December 3, Field Marshal Munir had also expressed satisfaction over the “strong defence cooperation” between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
