Shehbaz Sharif slams FM Qureshi’s statement on Saudi relations

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif criticised the recent statement by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi regarding relations with Saudi Arabia.

In a tweet, the PML-N leader said the foreign minister’s statement about “brotherly Saudi Arabia is highly unfortunate and irresponsible.”

“It flies in the face of history of our special & trusted relationship with the Kingdom. The cavalier attitude by this govt is undermining Pakistan’s core relations with friendly countries,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif also said the policy of the incumbent government since the annexation of Kashmir by the fascist Modi regime “lacks direction & substance.”

“There is a need for a serious & candid review of its performance in this most vital area. Why has Govt failed to present its case effectively to international community?” he asked.

FM’s statement about brotherly Saudi Arabia is highly unfortunate & irresponsible. It flies in the face of history of our special & trusted relationship with the Kingdom. The cavalier attitude by this govt is undermining Pakistan’s core relations with friendly countries!

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 7, 2020

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has warned of parting ways with the Saud Arabia-led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) if it failed to convene foreign ministers meeting on Kashmir.

Qureshi criticised the group’s silence about issues, including Palestine, Kashmir and the Babri mosque, saying it would give a voice from the Muslim community.

“For one year we have been requesting the OIC to call a council of foreign ministers meeting on Palestine and Kashmir issues where Muslims are facing atrocities while India demolished the 300-year-old Babri mosque and are building a Ram Temple but the OIC remains silent,” Qureshi said while talking with a private TV channel.

“Today, I am telling the OIC to convene the meeting of the council of foreign ministers. If they can not do it, then I will be compelled to ask the prime minister to call a meeting of Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiri Muslims,” said Qureshi.

He said the time has arrived for the OIC to decide whether to stand with Pakistan on a sensitive issue and stop dragging its feet on the issue. He said Pakistan withdrew from the Kuala Lumpur Summit last December on a request from Riyadh.