Key points
- Pakistan premier hold separate meetings with Saudi Arabia, UAE envoys
- Thanks Saudi leadership for always standing in solidarity with Pakistan
- Reaffirms Pakistan’s desire for peace and stability in South Asia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formally requested Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to impress upon India to de-escalate and defuse tensions.
This significant development emerged during separate meetings of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliky, and the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Friday.
During the meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Al-Maliky, the prime minister conveyed his warm wishes to The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud as well as to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
PM thanks Saudi leadership
He thanked the Saudi leadership and people for always standing in solidarity with Pakistan through thick and thin.
While sharing Pakistan’s perspective on recent developments in South Asia after the Pahalgam incident, the prime minister said that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He added that Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices in its counter-terrorism efforts over the years.
He said this was done not only to protect Pakistan but the entire world.
Baseless Indian accusations
He outrightly rejected baseless Indian accusations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident without any evidence and reiterated his call for a transparent and neutral international investigation into the incident.
Highlighting the government’s complete focus on consolidating the hard-earned economic gains of the past 15 months, with the support of friendly countries including Saudi Arabia, the prime minister said it was inconceivable for Pakistan to act in an irresponsible manner to jeopardise its achievements and derail the country from the path of economic progress.
He urged brotherly countries, including Saudi Arabia to impress upon India to de-escalate and defuse tensions.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for peace and stability in South Asia.
The Saudi ambassador thanked the prime minister for sharing his views on this important issue and said that Saudi Arabia wanted to work with Pakistan for peace and security in the region.
Meeting with UAE ambassador
Talking to the Ambassador of the UAE to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, conveyed his warm wishes to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE and thanked the UAE for its unwavering support to Pakistan, which bore testament to the historic, deep-rooted, fraternal ties between the two countries.
The prime minister shared Pakistan’s perspective on recent developments in South Asia since the Pahalgam incident.
He said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, as it had itself been one of the biggest victims of terrorism.
A distraction
Citing the enormous sacrifices in terms of 90,000 casualties and over USD 152 billion in economic losses over the years, the prime minister said the country was dealing with the menace of terrorism emanating from its western front. India’s recent actions and its aggressive posture was distracting Pakistan from its counter-terrorism efforts.
The prime minister categorically rejected the baseless accusations levelled by India in its desperate attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, without any evidence. He said Pakistan had nothing to do with this and emphasised that he had offered to have a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation into the incident.
He shared that Pakistan was reaching out to other friendly countries to present its position on the current crisis.
Hard-earned economic gains
While emphasising that his government was focused on consolidating the hard-earned economic gains of the past 15 months, which had been made possible by the support of friendly countries including the UAE, the prime minister said Pakistan would never take such an action that could imperil regional peace and security.
In this regard, the prime minister urged brotherly countries, including the UAE to impress upon India to de-escalate and defuse tensions. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for peace and stability in South Asia.
The UAE ambassador thanked the prime minister for sharing Pakistan’s position and said that the UAE would work closely with Pakistan for maintaining regional peace and security.
Meeting with Kuwaiti ambassador
Talking to the Ambassador of Kuwait to Pakistan, Nasser Abdulrahman Jasser, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his warm wishes to Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait.
While noting the strong, historic, brotherly ties between Kuwait and Pakistan, the prime minister recalled that both countries had stood together through thick and thin.
The Prime Minister said that he is keenly looked forward to the visit of Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, at the earliest possible.
He also took the Kuwaiti Ambassador into confidence on Pakistan’s perspective on recent developments in South Asia since the Pahalgam incident.
The Prime Minister firmly rejected India’s baseless accusations, linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, without sharing any proof or evidence.
The Kuwaiti Ambassador thanked the prime mminister for sharing Pakistan’s position and affirmed that Kuwait shared Pakistan’s vision for regional peace and security.
