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Friday March 29, 2024

Imran accepts invitation to visit S Arabia

By Mumtaz Alvi
August 14, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Monday accepted an invitation by King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud to visit the Kingdom.

In a telephonic conversation, the Saudi King felicitated the PTI chief for winning the recently-held elections in Pakistan and expressed good wishes for the new government, says a statement issued by the PTI Central Media Department and later at media talk, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said so.

Talking to media, Qureshi said King Salman invited Imran Khan to visit Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which he accepted.

He said the Saudi King acknowledged Pakistan’s importance in Riyadh’s eyes and expressed the desire for close and proactive relationships with Islamabad. He said Imran Khan also extended invitation to the Saudi King to visit Pakistan.

Qureshi noted Imran Khan told King Salman bin Abdul Aziz that people of Pakistan hold Saudi Arabia in the highest esteem.

The defense of Harmain Sharifain, Qureshi emphasised, was part of faith of every Muslim. To a question, he said consultative meeting of PTI’s Punjab parliamentary party has been convened on Wednesday in Lahore.

He said Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam has also been invited to join the meeting. He said it has been decided that PTI and PML-Q will continue strengthening the relationship of mutual respect and trust.

To another question, Qureshi said the PTI will try its best to give importance and strengthen parliament. He said PTI has comfortable majority to win election for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

The PTI statement says King Salman said the Kingdom attaches great importance to Pakistan. He told Imran that the people of Pakistan had reposed their confidence in him and that Saudi Arabia seeks close relations with his government, it said.

In response, Imran thanked the Saudi king, saying that Saudi Arabia is a friend of Pakistan, which has always supported them in difficult times.

Imran maintained they consider Saudi Arabia’s security to be of crucial importance. He said that safety of the Holy Mosques in the Kingdom was part of their faith.

King Salman also invited Imran to visit the kingdom, which the latter accepted. Imran also extended to him an invitation to visit Pakistan. The details of Imran’s visit would be finalised later.

Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Fawad Chaudhry said the opposition behaved responsibly during the inaugural session of the National Assembly. Talking to media, he said PTI Chairman Imran Khan will take oath of the office of Prime Minister on August 18.

Fawad said Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan will himself answer questions of the opposition members in the National Assembly. To a question, the PTI spokesperson said people will soon see a positive change in the country. He added people have attached high expectations with the upcoming PTI government, and the government will come up to their expectations.