ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri has said that there is no rift in the relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Responding to a question at weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, he said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always enjoyed unique relations, deep rooted in religion, culture and social ties.
The Spokesperson said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on the subject in his recent media engagement and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s just concluded visit to Saudi Arabia testify to the unchanged fraternal relations and close contact between the two brotherly countries.
He said the two countries have strong economic, political, security and military cooperation at all levels.
He said the visit by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the landmark visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last year have further cemented our relations and provided new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment and other fields.
No ties with Israel without peace for Palestinians, says Saudi Arabia
The Spokesperson said Pakistan values Saudi Arabia’s important role in the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.
Answering a question about the agreement between the UAE and Israel for normalization of relations, the Spokesperson said there is no change in Pakistan’s principled position on Palestine.
He said Pakistan has abiding commitment to full realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination for a just, comprehensive and long-lasting peace.
He said Pakistan has consistently supported a two state solution in accordance with UNSC and OIC resolutions as well as international law with pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine.
As for recent development, the Spokesperson said, Pakistan’s approach will be guided by our evaluation of how Palestinians’ rights and aspirations are upheld and how regional, peace and security and stability are preserved.
To another question, the Spokesperson said the OIC Contact Group has held four meetings on the Kashmir issue since India’s unilateral and illegal actions on August 5 last year.
He said the OIC has been condemning the Indian human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and also calling for resolution of the dispute under the UN resolutions.
Answering a question about ceasefire violations by India along the Line of Control, the Spokesperson said India has committed 2,027 ceasefire violations along the LoC this year, martyring 16 civilians and injuring 176 others. He said India, by committing ceasefire violations, is trying to divert world attention from Kashmir issue.
The spokesperson said a senior Indian diplomat was summoned to Foreign Office this morning as well to register Pakistan’s protest over provoked ceasefire violations along the LoC.
Responding to a question about Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Spokesperson said India is not cooperating with the Pakistani courts.
