ISLAMABAD – Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Thursday, the Radio Pakistan reported.
The Saudi Minister was greeted at the Prime Minister’s Office by the premier where the two discussed the ongoing Pak-India tensions and matters of regional and bilateral interest.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua were also present in the meeting.
https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1103645730974109697
Earlier, upon his arrival, al-Jubeir was welcomed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ office by Qureshi. The two officials discussed the current situation in the region, as well as other matters of common interest including economics, politics and security.
In Thursday’s meeting, the Saudi minister assured Foreign Minister Qureshi of Saudi Arabia’s complete and overwhelming support towards solving the issues with India in a peaceful manner.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/saudi-foreign-minister-to-arrive-in-islamabad-today/
The minister is visiting Pakistan on the instructions of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. The state minister, was earlier supposed to visit Pakistan on March 1.
India and Pakistan came to the brink of war two weeks ago, following a suicide car bombing that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police in Indian-occupied Kashmir. India accusing Pakistan of harbouring the Jaish-e Mohammad group behind the attack, which Islamabad denied.
The two nuclear-armed countries then engaged in a rare air battle and India lost jets in it a day after carrying out an air strike on what it said was a JeM camp in Balakot area of northern Pakistan.
Indian authorities said that 12 Mirage 2000 jets carrying 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs) bombs carried out the Feb 26th attack.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/reuters-exposes-indian-lies-about-balakot-air-strikes-and-damages-by-releasing-actual-images/
Pakistan has disputed India’s account, saying the operation was a failure that saw Indian jets, under pressure from Pakistani planes, drop their bombs on a largely empty hillside.
Pakistan also captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman after his MiG-21 fighter jet was shot down during a dogfight near the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27. He was released by Islamabad on Friday night as a “peace gesture”.
While India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a “direct hand” in the incident, Pakistan, in turn, has rejected the allegations, accusing India of being responsible for human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.
Amidst rhetoric by Indian officials in the aftermath of the attack, Pakistan had called back its high commissioner in India for consultations on Feb 18. The high commissioner will be returning to New Delhi today.
On Wednesday, the Pakistani foreign minister had thanked Saudi Arabia, among other countries, for their contribution in easing the situation between India and Pakistan.
