Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Foreign Minister for United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan will arrive here today (Wednesday) to hold talks with civil and military leadership amid escalation of tension between Pakistan and India over Modi government's annexation of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad, the Saudi state minister for foreign affairs will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa during the visit. The announcement of Jubeir's visit to the country was preceded by telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman earlier in the day, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) - the Kingdom's official news agency.
The SPA reported that the Crown Prince received a telephone call from Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the call, they reviewed relations between the two countries and the latest developments in the region, it added.
Whether it coincides or is something pre-planned, the foreign minister of UAE is also arriving today (Wednesday), informed sources said. They said that Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss issues of mutual interests and regional development.
The visits of the two foreign ministers from important Arab states take place at a time when relations between Pakistan and India witness the lowest ebb following Modi government's August 5 illegal and unilateral actions aimed at changing the demographic structure and identity of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan rejected these steps and downgraded the relations with India, besides suspending the trade ties as well as train and bus services between the two countries. The two foreign ministers of the Arab states, according to the sources, will exchange views with Pakistani leadership on the latest developments in the region.
Earlier on August 29, Prime Minister Imran Khan held telephonic conversation with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and exchanged views on enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries and the latest regional and international developments.
Prime Minister Khan's telephone call came days after the UAE conferred Indian Prime Minister Modi with the highest civilian award 'Order of Zayed' which was seen with concerns in Pakistan at a time when Indian government has continued worst brutalities against Kashmiri people and continued the curfew for around one month.