ISLAMABAD - Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said there had been no misunderstanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, rather the incumbent government had removed the ones created in the past.
Being its founding member, the division of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had never been on Pakistan’s agenda as the country had been playing its role to mend the strained ties between some countries of the Muslim world, the foreign minister said while talking to a private television channel in context of the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabai on Saturday.
To a question about the perception of Kuala Lumpur (KL) Summit being raised as a parallel platform or against the OIC, he said the elements desiring to disintegrate the Muslim world were creating such perceptions.
He said the KL Summit was not being held for the first time, rather Mahathir Muhammad had already organised such four sessions as his private initiative before assuming the office of the Malaysian prime minister. As Mahathir Mohammad had assumed the prime ministerial office, he was now trying to give it a formal shape, he added. He said Mahathir Mohammad had sent his foreign minister to Saudi Arabia to extend a formal invitation for the summit considering it a very vital member of the Muslim world.
He said in a meeting with him, Dr Mahathir had categorically said that KL Summit was not being raised as a parallel organisation of the OIC. Even he was also ready to visit Saudi Arabia to explain the matter.
He said such perceptions were being created and fanned by the elements who had reservations over the Muslim countries joining heads to discuss their socioeconomic development and exploit their potential in the fields of skills and technology. Every sane mind was supposed to nullify such perceptions for carrying no truth, he added. Qureshi said having cordial ties with Saudi Arabia and Malaysia and being an OIC’s founding member, Pakistan was supposed to play its role to improve the strained ties between the Muslim countries.
He said Prime Minister Imran had visited both Tehran and Riyadh to remove the misunderstanding between the two countries which had helped avert the conflicting situation. Similarly, in this case too, Pakistan would play its role to remove the misunderstandings being created by some media or other elements.
To a question, the foreign minister clarified that there was no misunderstanding between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan rather the incumbent government had removed those created in the past that had been manifested by a successful visit of Saudi Crown Prince and the Saudi support for Pakistan’s balance of payment and deferred oil.
He said following the removal of misperception between the two countries consequent to Pakistan’s role, Qatari Prime Minister had recently attended a GCC meeting held in Riyadh.