PM Shehbaz, Saudi Crown Prince discuss regional situation on sidelines of Doha summit
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha, convened in the wake of Israel’s September 9 attack on Qatar.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir also attended the meeting, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the talks, the two leaders discussed the regional situation following Israel’s aggression.
The prime minister strongly condemned the attack, terming it a deliberate attempt to derail Middle East peace efforts.
He also lauded the Saudi Crown Prince’s leadership in uniting the Muslim world at a critical juncture and assured Pakistan’s full diplomatic support, particularly at the United Nations Security Council, where Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member, as well as at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Sharif said that the convening of the summit in Doha had sent a strong message of unity against Israel’s actions, which threatened regional peace and security.
Reaffirming the historic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the prime minister thanked the Kingdom for its consistent support for Pakistan.
The Saudi Crown Prince, in turn, expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s active diplomatic efforts at the UNSC and OIC to show solidarity with Qatar, and said he was looking forward to Sharif’s upcoming state visit to Riyadh later this week for a comprehensive exchange on bilateral, regional and global issues.
Sharif also conveyed his respects to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
PM Shehbaz Sharif is currently on a day-long visit to Doha to attend the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit convened in the wake of Israel’s unprecedented attack on Doha, targeting Hamas leadership and violating Qatari sovereignty.
The summit is being attended by heads of state and high officials from the member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).