ISLAMABAD, Jan 02 (NNI): The Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir will arrive in Islamabad on Sunday for a two-day official visit to hold important meetings with Pakistani leadership.
It will be his first visit to Pakistan since he assumed the office of foreign minister of Saudi Arabia in April 2015.
The reports said that during talks between the Saudi foreign minister and Pakistani leadership, the military coalition of 34-Islamic countries under Saudi Arabia’s leadership will be brought under discussion.
The two sides will also discuss bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest.
On December 14 last year, the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Muhammad bin Salman told a news conference that 34 nations had formally agreed to form an “Islamic military coalition” to fight terrorism.
Later on December 16, Pakistan welcomed the formation of the 34-nation Saudi Arabia-led alliance against terrorism, saying it had consistently supported all regional and international efforts to combat militancy, extremism and terrorism and, to this end, had
extended full support and cooperation to international community.
“Pakistan welcomes the formation of the 34-nation alliance to counter terrorism and is awaiting further details to decide the extent of its participation in different activities of the alliance,” the Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said.
Later on December 23, the Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told media at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad that Pakistan would decide to join this alliance after consultation with Saudi Arabia but same time he said that involvement of Pakistan in alliance was of “voluntary nature”.
“Participation of Pakistan in Saudi-led 34-nation coalition against terrorism is of voluntary nature and Pakistan will decide to join this alliance with total support and accordance with its requirements and priorities,” Sartaj Aziz said.
