ISLAMABAD

Jordan's King Abdullah arrived on a two-day state visit to Pakistan on Saturday to further strengthen bilateral relations.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received the Jordanian head of state and his delegation at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, just next to the capital Islamabad.

This is the first official visit by a Jordanian monarch in 21 years.

As the king’s aircraft entered Pakistani airspace, a formation of Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder aircraft provided a protective escort and accompanied the royal flight.

During his visit, King Abdullah will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister's House and will also hold delegation-level talks. He will also meet President Zardari.

"This visit of King Abdullah II will further strengthen the long-standing relations between Pakistan and Jordan and will help expand the scope of bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries," Sharif's office said in a statement.

Abdullah’s state visit to Pakistan marks the fifth stop of his Asian tour, which included Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia.