General Bajwa calls MBS, inquires about Saudi King’s health

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa called Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to inquire about Saudi King Salman’s health.

According to Saudi media, the army chief wished speedy recovery of the Saudi King and conveyed his special message to the crown prince.

The Saudi Crown Prince thanked General Bajwa for his concern. Both leaders also discussed issues of common interest and the latest developments at the regional and international levels.

Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has been receiving a number of calls from leaders of the neighbouring and Muslim countries inquiring about Saudi King Salman’s health.

Apart from Pakistan’s army chief, Muhammad Bin Salman received phone calls from Bahraini King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Speaker of Iraqi Council of Representatives Mohamed Al-Halbousi.

READ MORE: Saudi King in stable condition after being admitted to hospital

They were reassured about King Salman’s health by the Crown Prince who thanked them for their kind gestures.

King Salman on Thursday underwent successful laparoscopic surgery to have his gallbladder removed and is recovering at a hospital in Riyadh. The 84-year-old monarch will stay in hospital for some time to receive treatment.

He has since chaired a cabinet meeting via video call from his hospital room on Tuesday and could be seen in a video behind a desk, reading and leafing through documents.

King Salman was crown prince and deputy prime minister for more than two and a half years from June 2012 before becoming king. He also served as governor of the Riyadh region for more than 50 years.