By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Monday said that Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoyed strong and deeply rooted historic relations and for the security of territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan would always stand shoulder to shoulder with its brotherly country.
The foreign minister was talking to Saudi ambassador in Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki who called on him here at the foreign office, a press release said.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral ties, promotion of bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors and different issues of mutual interests. The foreign minister said that sanctity of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques had been a part of the belief of every Muslim.
Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan strongly condemned Houthi militia’s attempts to target civilian population and military installations in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He said that they were looking forward to meeting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi minister for energy Abdulaziz bin Slaman Al Saud during their expected upcoming visit to Pakistan.
The foreign minister also inquired after the health of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Qureshi further said that a large number of Pakistani expatriates had been staying in Saudi Arabia for years and playing role in the progress and development of the kingdom.
He expressed the optimism that after improvement from the coronavirus situation, the Saudi government would take special steps for the return and re-employment of Pakistani workers who had lost their jobs.
The Saudi ambassador thanked the foreign minister.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took to Twitter on Monday to greet the government and the people of Malaysia on the country’s Independence Day.
“Selamat Hari Merdeka to the Government and the people of Malaysia,” he wrote on his official social media account.
FM Qureshi said: “Pakistan looks forward to forging closer cooperation in the days to come and to strengthening the relationship between our two countries.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan had paid a two-day official visit to Malaysia earlier this year, during which the two countries signed a number of pacts to enhance bilateral cooperation and trade in various fields.
The prime minister and his then Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad had also agreed to build a strong economic partnership and work together on issues affecting the Muslim Ummah.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India had tried to push Pakistan into FATF blacklist but it failed despite of repeated efforts.
He said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf govt has worked a lot on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in limited time and bills were also passed with consultation of opposition from Parliament in this regard. The spposition parties voted in favour of the bills in National Assembly but opposed it in Senate. He said that passage of the bill was need of the and expressed his hope that Pakistan will come out from grey list.
Foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Quresi expressed these views while talking to journalists here at Mumtazabad on Saturday. Qureshi said that mourning processions were being taken out across the world today but these were banned in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). The Indian forces were arresting the Kashmiri people to stop them from mourning. He appealed the ulema to describe the Indian atrocities in IIOJK during their speeches.
To a question about rains in Karachi, he said that the people of Karachi were facing miseries due to heavy rains and federal government will extend every type of cooperation with Sindh government in this connection.
About health of PML N supremo, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Qureshi said that he should return without waiting government steps as his health seemed better now.
