PM’s visit to KSA

Saudi ambassador to leave for Jeddah tomorrow

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malikey is leaving for Jeddah tomorrow (Sunday) to brief the Kingdom’s leadership about ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The ambassador, who is a retired Admiral of Saudi Navy, will be part of his country’s team that will handle the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister is leaving for the Kingdom to attend the Makkah Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the coast city of Jeddah.

The summit will be held on May 31. Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News that Prime Minister Imran Khan will have meeting with some leaders from the Muslim world on the occasion. Availing the opportunity, Prime Minister Imran Khan will also have meeting with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to discuss further enhancement of cooperation between Pakistan and the Kingdom. He will also pay gratitude to the Saudi leadership for its fiscal assistance in the hours of dire need. The summit will issue Makkah declaration on the conclusion of its deliberations. The sources said that recent attacks on the Arab ships and oil facilities by some disgruntled elements will be discussed by the summit. Some other problems being faced by the Ummah will also figure in the discussions of the summit. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is also leaving for Saudi Arabia to attend the meeting of the council of the foreign ministers of the OIC before the summit. The sources pointed out that Ambassador Nawaf Saeed Al-Malikey had important consultations with high ups of the Foreign Office including Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood in the recent days. He will return in the first week of June, the sources said.

Syed Habibullah Bukhari, Deputy Head of Mission (DHM), will act as ambassador in the absence of Admiral Nawaf, the sources added.