Defence minister to go with PM, COAS to S Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan will be lone minister who has been made part of the entourage of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javaid Bajwa for their trip to Saudi Arabia, taking place tomorrow (Sunday).

Well placed diplomatic sources told The News here on Friday that Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has not been included in the delegation for the Kingdom’s visit. It is understood that the visit has been scheduled primarily for witnessing military exercises under Islamic Military Alliance (IMA) starting today (Saturday) in deserts of Riyadh and for the reason Foreign Office representation hasn’t been included in the delegation.

Prime Minister Abbasi and General Bajwa will meet custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman jointly. It is likely that some leaders from the Muslim world will also be present during the military exercises. Prime Minister Abbasi may avail the opportunity to have meeting with them on the brinks of the event.

In the meanwhile Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi will be visiting United Kingdom next week where he will be leading Pakistan’s delegation in the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) commencing in London on Wednesday (April 18). The sources indicated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also reaching London for attending the CHOGM that will continue for three days. It is unlikely that Prime Minister Abbasi will have meeting with his Indian counterpart on the occasion.

Prime Minister Abbasi will be visiting London for fourth time ever since he assumed the office in August last, will be on his last foreign trip as Prime Minister. He will also visit ailing former first lady Begum Kulsum Nawaz and federal minister without portfolio Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar to inquire after their health. Both are under treatment in British capital. Foreign Secretary Ms. Tehmina Janjua will represent Pakistan in the senior official’s meeting of CHOGM.