J K News Today
Jammu, August 11:
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador Nawaf Saeed Al-Malkiy to Pakistan met his host country’s army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday to discuss “ matters of mutual interest and regional security situation and bilateral defence relations between the two countries,” something that, in normal circumstances the envoy should have discussed with the civilian government in Islamabad.
It is a clear indication that Saudi Arabia is angry by the unnecessary criticism of the Kingdom’s by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as Saudi Arabia dominated Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had not acceded to the plea of Islamabad to convene a special session of OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers ( CFM) specifically on Kashmir .
The rejection of Pakistan proposal was as an assertion by the Saudi Arabia and the OIC that it would not be interfering in the internal affairs of India . Pakistan had made the pleas after t intensified its anti-India tirade after Delhi revoked special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year . It has been making all out efforts to internationalise Kashmir issue in violation of all the bilateral pacts, including Simla Agreement of 1972. Involving the OIC was part of its designs to highlight Kashmir at the international stage.
Saudi envoy’s meeting with Gen. Bajwa was a clear snub to Pakistan’s civilian government and outright rejection of Qureshi’s utterances against Saudi Arabia and threat to split the OIC.
In normal circumstances , the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan should have discussed all these matters with the civilian government , particularly Defence and Foreign Ministers . But he chose to meet Gen. Bajwa for he must have known that Pakistan army holds away over the civilian government and it can fix them .
Qureshi in an interview with ARY News channel had lashed out at Saudi Arabia for not convening CFM on Kashmir . Pointing toward Saudi Arabia and its rejection of Pakistan’s plea to convene a session exclusively devoted to Kashmir , Qureshi had said: “ If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir”
Pakistan media quoting a statement of ISPR said : The army chief and Saudi ambassador discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and bilateral defence relations between the two brotherly countries during the meeting.”
“We stand with our Saudi brethren in committing ourselves to the ideals of fraternity and brotherhood that he always championed,” the ISPR quoted him as saying.