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.