Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the “remarkable restraint” exercised by Saudi Arabia amid the Middle East crisis in a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Islamabad, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Sunday.
He also assured him of Pakistan’s full and unwavering solidarity and support, the statement said.
The Saudi foreign minister called upon PM Shehbaz after the conclusion of quadrilateral ministerial meeting in Islamabad, attended by the FMs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye.
PM Shehbaz shared with FM Faisal Pakistan’s extensive diplomatic outreach during the current crisis, including mediation efforts for de-escalation and attempts to bring both the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, the PMO said.
The Saudi FM also shared the latest Saudi perspective on the regional situation with the prime minister, who assured the visiting dignitary of Pakistan’s full and unwavering solidarity and support.
The premier also emphasised Saudi Arabia’s leadership role within the Muslim Ummah and stressed the need to forge unity within Islamic countries at this critical time, the statement said.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz recalled his recent conversations with the Saudi crown prince, including their meeting in Jeddah on March 12. “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to continue to coordinate their positions closely in order to secure peace and stability in the region,” the PMO said.
Upon his arrival at PMO, the Saudi foreign minister was received by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and National Security Adviser and Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Asim Malik also participated in the meeting, the PMO said.
It added that the prime minister “warmly welcomed the Saudi foreign minister and conveyed his respectful regards for The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and warm greetings for His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince & Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
Saudi FM arrived in Pakistan on Sunday to participate in the high-level quadrilateral ministerial meeting in Islamabad.
Meeting with Turkish, Egyptian FMs
After meeting him, PM Shehbaz was also called upon by the foreign ministers of Turkiye and Egypt, who were also in Islamabad to attend the high-level quadrilateral ministerial meeting on the Middle East crisis.
According to the PMO, SAPM Fatemi received Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty upon their arrival at the Prime Minister’s House.
“The prime minister warmly welcomed the distinguished foreign ministers in his office,” the PMO statement said, adding that Dar and ISI DG Asim Malik were also present in the meeting.
According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz conveyed his “greetings and best wishes” for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and recalled his recent conversations with both leaders.
The PM shared Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach efforts with the two visiting dignitaries and stressed the need for “collective efforts to urgently bring an end to hostilities that were causing heavy loss of life, economy and property not only in Iran, but across several brotherly Muslim countries”, a subsequent PMO statement said.
It added that he reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment and resolve to play a positive role in bringing both Iran and the US to the negotiating table.
For their part, the two foreign ministers briefed the PM on their respective national perspectives on the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, the statement said.
“While appreciating Pakistan’s constructive role in peace efforts, they lauded the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their leadership at this challenging time,” the statement said.
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