ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will visit Saudia Arabia on November 26 to attend the first meeting of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Ministers of Defense Council.
The meeting of Defense Ministers of the 41-nation IMCTC will take place in Riyadh on November 26 under the theme “Allied against Terrorism”.
Sources said that the prime minister will attend the meeting of IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council. He will be accompanied by the defence and foreign ministers as well as a delegation of ministry of defence.
Sources said that during the visit, the prime minister will also have a meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to share Pakistan-Saudi Arabia strategic partnership.
However, no official statement has yet been made regarding the prime minister’s participating in the meeting of IMCTC, an anti-terrorism alliance of Muslim Countries with Riyadh as it headquarters.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal in reply to a question said “I have no information on the Prime Minister’s visit (to Saudi Arabia next week).”
Meanwhile, sources indicated that there is also the possibility of visit of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa along with the prime minister to Riyadh. However, military circles are not confirming COAS’s visit.
The Saudi Crown Prince will open the inaugural meeting of the IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council in Riyadh while the IMCTC acting Secretary-General Lt. General Abdulelah Al-Saleh will outline the coalition’s strategy, governance, activities and future plans, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“The meeting aims to consolidate bonds of cooperation and integration within the coalition and represents the effective beginning of the IMCTC efforts, which included 41 Islamic states, to coordinate and unify efforts in fighting extremism and extremism in addition to integration with other international efforts,” a statement on SPA read.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan’s former COAS General (retd) Raheel Sharif is the Commander-in-Chief of the IMCTC.
The Saudi government wishes deployment of Pakistani troops as component of the Muslim force. However Pakistan is yet to answer such demand of Riyadh.
