ISLAMABAD, SEP 28 (DNA) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday felicitated Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz on his appointment as the prime minister.

Prime Minister, in a tweet, the prime minister expressed his wishes for the further development of the Kingdom under the leadership of Mohammad bin Salman as the prime minister.

COAS also congratulated Prince Mohammed bin Salman on being appointed PM of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for being appointed Defense Minister of the Kingdom.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a news release said that the Army Chief also extended his felicitations to Prince Khalid Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for being appointed as Defence Minister of KSA.

On the occasion, the COAS said, “Pakistan values its historical and brotherly relations with KSA & acknowledges its unique place in the Islamic world.”  Earlier, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as Prime Minister of the Kingdom.

The appointment was made through a royal decree as an exception to the provision of Article (56) of the Basic Law of Governance, and the relevant provisions contained in the Law of the Cabinet, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Saudi King issued three decrees on appointment of the prime minister, his chairmanship of the cabinet as well as the reshuffle in the cabinet. According to a decree, the weekly session of the cabinet, which the King attends, will be held under his chairmanship.

Besides appointing crown prince as prime minister, the King also appointed Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as the Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Minister of Interior, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Minister of Defense and Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah bin Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud as Foreign Minister.

He also appointed Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud as Culture Minister, Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani as the Minister of Justice, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan bin Mohammed Al-Rabiah, as Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, as the Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media, Eng.

 Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli as the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Fahd bin Abdulrahman bin Dahes Al-Jalajel as the Minister of Health and Yousef bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Benyan, as the Minister of Education. =DNA