ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has said Pakistan will strongly respond to any attack on Saudi Arabia, Inter-Service Public Relations said on Sunday.
During a one-and-half hour meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Minister for Defence Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud who called on him at General Headquarters, the COAS said Pakistan has good relations with every country in the region.
Pakistan has special relation with Saudi Arabia and values the relation between two countries, said the ISPR statement, adding that any attack on Saudi Arabia will be strongly countered.
The Saudi prince appreciated the efforts of Pakistan and its armed forces in war against terrorism, and also for keeping peace and stability in the region.
The Saudi prince was received by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz besides senior military and civil officers at Nur Khan Airbase. He went straight to General Headquarters after landing in the country.
This is the second high-profile visitor from Riyadh in three days. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir visited Islamabad on Thursday for discussing Riyadh’s tensions with Tehran and the counter-terrorism coalition that Saudi Arabia has announced.
More read: Saudi FM Al-Jubeir calls on Gen Raheel Sharif
The unusual visits are followed by diplomatic crisis between Middle East’s two major powers, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The two powers, both major oil exporters, have been locked in a diplomatic battle since Saudi Arabia executed Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2.
Iranian protesters then stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, prompting Riyadh to sever relations.
Sources say the Saudi leadership is trying to bring Pakistan into the 34-nation military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.
