Maize. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had come to meet Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) with great expectations, but he was disappointed here. Sharif, who came to Mecca to perform Umrah, met MBS at Al-Safa Palace here, after which a joint statement was also issued. However, Saudi Arabia was clearly seen supporting India’s stand and asked both the countries to resolve their ‘issues’ through mutual dialogue.
According to this joint statement, the discussion between MBS and Sharif focused on strengthening brotherly relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and finding ways to increase cooperation in various fields. The statement said that they also discussed regional issues including Kashmir.
“Both sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region,” it said.
Saudi statement supporting India’s stand
New Delhi has always maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and there is no question of any third party mediation or interference in it. In such a situation, this statement of Saudi Prince only supports India’s stand.
Although both India and Pakistan have long had friendly relations with Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, relations between New Delhi and Riyadh have strengthened significantly during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Perhaps this is the reason why Saudi Arabia has maintained a balanced stance on Jammu and Kashmir this time, whereas it had expressed concern over the abrogation of Article 370 by India in August 2019. However, even then he did not condemn this move, instead calling it an internal matter of New Delhi.
India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir ‘was, is and will always be an integral part of the country.’ India has also said that it desires normal neighborly relations with Pakistan in an environment free from terror, hostility and violence.
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Tags: jammu kashmir, saudi arabia, Shahbaz Sharif
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 9, 2024, 07:15 IST