Jan 04 , 2016
News
Saudi foreign minister delays visit to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir’s visit to Islamabad, scheduled for Sunday, was postponed to Thursday, Jan 7, said the Foreign Office in a statement.
The FO first announced the postponement, saying the change had come at Saudi Arabia’s request, but did not provide a reason for the delay.
Later, a new date – Jan 7 – for the Saudi foreign minister’s arrival was announced.
Mr Jubeir was due to arrive in Islamabad on a two-day visit on Sunday to take the Pakistani leadership into confidence over the Middle East situation and the 34-nation military alliance recently formed by the kingdom, earlier reports had suggested. Officials at the Foreign Office had earlier said the Saudi foreign minister would meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday. Mr Jubeir was also supposed to hold meeting with Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
According to officials, the purpose of the visit was to consult Pakistan’s leadership over joining the anti-terrorism alliance. In December last year, the kingdom announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism, naming Pakistan among the coalition members apparently without first getting its consent. Initial reports suggested Islamabad had been unaware of its inclusion in the coalition as Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said he was surprised to read the news that Saudi Arabia had named Pakistan as part of the group.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk