ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that the Kingdom is working to defuse the crisis between Pakistan and India.

Adel Al-Jubeir’s comments were part of an address at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Tuesday, where he is attending the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

“We are aligned in trying to calm the tensions between Pakistan and India,” Al-Jubeir said.

Tensions between Pakistan and India have been high since New Delhi revoked the constitutional autonomy of Kashmir on August 5.

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the Kingdom to brief the Saudi leadership on the matter, ahead of the 74th session of the UNGA in New York.

During several meetings with the Saudi leadership, Khan underscored the “dire human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and the grave risks posed to peace and security in the aftermath of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August and its irresponsible and belligerent rhetoric and actions,” excerpts from a statement issued by the PM Office read last week.

Khan also stresssd on the need to lift the curfew imposed in the valley, Kashmiris’ right to freedom, and the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council’s resolutions, the statement added.

Earlier this month, Adel Al-Jubeir, and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, visited Islamabad to help deescalate the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

“The visiting ministers underlined the strong bonds of Saudi Arabia and UAE with Pakistan and the strategic salience of their relationships with Pakistan. They reaffirmed their strong support and solidarity with the people of Pakistan,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement on September 4.