ISLAMABAD: The recent visit of Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir to Islamabad conveys the message that “the Kingdom cares for Pakistan,” Dr. Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, told Arab News on Friday.
According the spokesperson this gesture signals Saudi Arabia's unflinching support for Pakistan amid ongoing tensions between nuclear armed South Asian neighbors Pakistan and India.
Al-Jubeir has assured "Kingdom's support to seek peaceful settlement of all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India," the Foreign Office said in a statement issued at the end of his day-long visit on Thursday.
He conveyed "sincere wishes of Saudi Crown Prince to the leadership and people of Pakistan" and "expressed deep appreciation for Pakistan's restraint in the existing charged environment," the statement read.
Al-Jubeir visited Islamabad for talks following last week’s standoff between India and Pakistan and met with the country's civil and military leadership.
The visting Saudi dignitary also met with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed “matters of mutual interest, regional security and current situation between Pakistan and India,” according to an official statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) late Thursday.
“The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s positive role for regional peace and stability and reaffirmed KSA’s support to Pakistan,” the statement read.
Gen Bajwa thanked the Saudi minister “for taking on the mantle of peace effort in very difficult circumstances, saying that KSA has always been a true friend of Pakistan,” the official hand out read.
Former Pakistani diplomat Rizwan Ul Haq Mahmood said the visit of Saudi dignitary was part of the continuous dialogue and consultations between the leadership of the two countries.
“Saudi Arabia’s leadership has been quite proactive in defusing tension between India and Pakistan,” Mamood added “Pakistan has full faith in the efforts of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and hopefully Al Jubeir’s visit brings about desired results and normalcy will be restored on our eastern borders.”
Earlier Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while welcoming Al-Jubeir expressed gratitude for the Kingdom’s “steadfast support,” and the offer from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to “help resolve” the crisis when the two nuclear-armed nations had appeared to be on the brink of war.
The suicide attack on February 14 in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary troops, led India to claim that the attack was orchestrated by Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and subsequently conducting an airstrike on Pakistani soil allegedly targeting a JeM training camp. Pakistan reacted by shooting down two Indian jets the very next day and capturing an Indian pilot
PM Khan helped defuse the crisis by releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to India on March 1, even though the country’s armed forces remained on high alert.
This week, Islamabad announced that its High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mahmood, would return to New Delhi and that a delegation would visit India on March 14 to discuss draft agreements for the Kartarpur visa-free Corridor for Sikh pilgrims visiting sites in Pakistan.
This has widely been viewed as a further demonstration of PM Khan’s intent to avoid further conflict, and his confidence in the backing of the international community.
Al-Jubeir’s visit comes just weeks after the conclusion of the crown prince’s trip to the region, which began with a two-day visit to Pakistan in February, where he held talks with Khan, before flying to India for discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
