President Alvi to visit Kuwait today for offering condolences

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi is visiting Kuwait on Monday to offer condolences over the sad demise of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The president will meet the new Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and convey the profound sympathies and condolences of the government and people of Pakistan.

The late Emir was a sincere and trusted friend of Pakistan and under his leadership bilateral cooperation between the teo countries achieved a new level. His efforts in the bilateral context and for regional peace and stability will be remembered, for a long time to come.

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah passed away on 30th September at the age of 91. He was considered the architect of the nation’s modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf region.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has erlier expressed his deep grief over the death ofEmir of Kuwait extended condolences to Crown Prince, family and the people of Kuwait. “Deeply grieved over demise of HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Crown Prince, Al Sabah family & to the Kuwaiti people. Amir’s contributions to Pak-Kuwait relations will always be remembered,” the prime minister had stated.

The government quickly named his half-brother, 83-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as his successor. Sheikh Sabah had earned a reputation as a shrewd, unshakeable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and upheavals in parliament and on the streets.

The emir died in the United States where he had been receiving hospital treatment after undergoing surgery in Kuwait City. Sheikh Sabah was the country´s top diplomat for nearly four decades and fostered close ties with the United States which led the international coalition that freed Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991.

He later emerged as a mediator between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran, and between Saudi Arabia and Qatar following Riyadh´s 2017 decision to cut ties with Doha. In a sign of the respect that the emir commanded across the region´s political divides, the UAE, Egypt and Qatar all had declared three days of mourning.