This is Khan’s second trip to Malaysia since the former cricket celebrity came to power.

In December, Imran announced a eleventh-hour cancellation of his trip to attend the Kuala Lumpur Summit, in what was believed to be the result of diplomatic arm-twisting of the cash-strapped South Asian nation which has received billions of dollars in Saudi aid.

The three heads of state who attended were among the Saudis’ staunchest enemies: Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Observers say Khan’s visit is a “face-saving trip” after his absence last December.

“It also underscores the difficult balancing act that Islamabad faces in balancing its relations with Saudi Arabia—which financially supports Pakistan with billions in aid, including US$20 billion in 2019—and Malaysia, with which Pakistan maintains friendly relations,” said one analysis published on current affairs site Foreign Brief.

Khan is an admirer of Mahathir, and has said that they both inherited problems from the previous administration.

After coming to power just three months after Mahathir made his historic return as prime minister, Khan announced an agenda for sweeping reforms in almost all areas of government.