Inaugurates two new trains; says CPEC Main Line-1 to provide high speed trains from Karachi-Peshawar. PHOTO: FILE
This strategy was decided in a high-level huddle chaired by the PM Imran Khan and attended by the army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, the foreign minister, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt-Gen Naveed Mukhtar and other senior civil-military officials.
Qureshi will travel to Kabul today (Saturday) on a one-day visit, while PM Khan will pay his maiden two-day visit to Saudi Arabia the next week – most probably on September 18 and 19.
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“Bilateral relations with certain friendly countries and issues relating to security came under discussion during the meeting,” said a short statement issued by the PM Office after the meeting.
However, a senior cabinet member said the civilian leaders consulted the military leadership to hash out Pakistan’s stance on a host of issues including security, economy as well as Islamabad’s bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
The visit to Saudi Arabia will be Imran Khan’s first visit to any foreign country since he assumed office of the prime minister on August 18. It will also be initiation of Pakistan’s new foreign policy, in which, according to Foreign Minister, ‘Pakistan first’ will be at the core of foreign affairs.
Last month, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the PM has decided to not undertake any foreign tour at least in the first three-month of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government “unless there is a pressing matter in need to be addressed”.
Given the statement, the observers will closely monitor PM Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabia. It is highly likely that economy will be at the core of discussion between Khan and Saudi authorities.
There are reports of a possible bailout package from Saudi government to Pakistan similar to the one given by Riyadh to the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in 2014 in a bid to strengthen foreign exchange reserves.
However, in return of any financial package or assistance the Saudi government would certainly seek Pakistan’s support on some regional issues including the ongoing Yemen conflict.
It is yet to see how things will take shape as Imran Khan has time and again resolved that in his party’s government Pakistan would never become part of anyone’s war or take sides in disputes.
In April last year, the PTI had submitted a resolution in the National Assembly Secretariat against Pakistan’s decision to join Saudi-led Islamic military alliance and appointment of General (retd) Raheel Sharif as its head. “It is not in Pakistan’s national interest to get involved in others’ wars as its (Pakistan) people are still suffering the consequences of such involvements in the past,” the resolution said.
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The PTI is also a signatory to a resolution unanimously adopted by the parliament in 2015 to past that called for Pakistan to remain ‘neutral’ in the Saudi-led Yemen war.
During his two-day, the PM visit will meet the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other high officials. He will also perform Umrah.
In his maiden visit to Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is expected to meet his Afghan counterpart as well as President Ashraf Ghani. Cross border terrorism, border management and revival of Afghanistan’s reconciliation process will be in focus.
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