PM apprises Saudi crown prince of Kashmir situation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Saudi Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammad bin Salman in Jeddah on Thursday and discussed the ongoing situation in Indian occupied Kashmir.

The Prime Minister is on a two-day visit to the kingdom. Upon arrival, Khan was received by Makkah’s Governor Khalid Al-Faisal Abdul Aziz. In the meeting with the Saudi crown prince, Prime Minister Khan also condemned the attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted the Indian atrocities in the occupied valley, following the unilateral move by India to scrap the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Premier and the Saudi Crown Prince also discussed strengthening of economic relations between the two countries.

Earlier, a statement issued by the Prime Minister House, stated: “The Prime Minister has been in regular contact on the Kashmir issue with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.” It added that since the last visit of MBS — by which the Saudi leader is often known — in February this year, “there is a growing momentum in Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations in all areas of cooperation”.

Traditionally marked by warmth and mutual trust, Prime Minister Khan’s visit to the kingdom was expected to further reinforce the close fraternal Pakistan-Saudi relations “and deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse fields”, it said.

On Monday, Khan phoned the crown prince to condemn the attack on the Saudi oil facilities. During the conversation with MBS, the Premier vowed to support Saudi Arabia against any terrorist attack and reiterated that Pakistan will stand by Saudi Arabia in case of any threat to the sanctity or security of the Arab country.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser on Finance Hafeez Shaikh, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Pakistan’s Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz were also present in the meeting.