Saudi delegation to visit Pakistan from 9th to 11th

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced on Monday that security around the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government summit is a top priority of the government and measures are being taken to ensure the safety and security of all guests who visit Pakistan for the meeting.

The assurance was made by the Spokeswoman at the Foreign Office at a media briefing at the Foreign Office, in the aftermath of Sunday’s heinous terrorist attack near the Karachi Airport which claimed the lives of two Chinese nationals while injuring another.

The attack came just before the visit of the Chinese prime minister who will attend the SCO meeting. “Pakistan is ready to host the SCO Heads of Government meeting. We are ready to welcome all our distinguished guests and to make their visit and stay in Pakistan as comfortable as possible”, she added.

However, when asked about the participants who have accepted Pakistan’s invitation for the SCO meeting she said that as yet the Foreign Office was not in a position to announce the participation of the delegates.

“As for the SCO meeting, we are not in a position to announce the participation at this stage,” she said. “In his capacity as the current Chair of Council of Heads of Government (CHG) Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the upcoming CHG meeting. We expect high-level participations from SCO members; the observer state of Mongolia; Turkmenistan as a special guest; and representatives of the international organisations including Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and European Economic Community (EEC)”, she said.

When asked to comment on remarks from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs which announced that the Minister of External Affairs Dr Jaishankar will be attending the SCO meeting in Islamabad, the Spokeswoman said that she had seen the announcement and also received an intimation officially with regard to this visit.

“As the chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of Government Meeting Pakistan is ready to welcome all members of SCO”, she said. On whether there will be any bilateral meetings between India and Pakistan during the visit of Dr Jaishankar, she hinted that there would be none.

“I would like you to refer to the remarks made by the Indian Minister for External Affairs on 5th of October, in which he maintained that his visit was meant for a multilateral event, and not for discussing Pakistan-India relations. These remarks are self-explanatory”, she pointed out.

She also categorically rejected what she pointed out were “the frivolous statement” made by spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan on Sunday in which the Afghan Interim government (AIG) expressed serious concern at Pakistan’s current political situation involving the government and the opposition.

“The statement constitutes an unacceptable and deplorable interference in the domestic affairs of Pakistan. Instead of lecturing a democratic country, the AIG should focus on fixing its own domestic problems; prioritise inclusivity; and be responsive to needs and aspirations of its own people including the right to education for women and girls rather than curtailing their rights through misguided interpretation of religion”, she remarked.

Instead, the Spokeswoman pointed out the AIG should also deliver on the commitments given to the international community by denying space to terror groups which are seriously threatening peace and security in neighbouring countries; and by preventing Afghanistan from becoming once again the centre of global terrorism.

“Pakistan remains committed to peace, dialogue, and cooperation in the region and expects all states, including Afghanistan, to adhere to the basic norms of responsible international conduct and interstate relations”, she added.

The Spokeswoman also rejected a statement from Afghanistan in which it was said that terrorists that had carried out attacks inside Afghanistan had been trained in Balochistan. “The fact is that the Afghan authorities are unable to control these terror groups, which are a threat to their own security and to the security of Pakistan. It is important that instead of pointing fingers elsewhere, they focus on fighting these terror groups that continue to act with impunity inside Afghanistan and that continue to threaten the security of the region, the security of Afghanistan and their neighbours”, she said.

Meanwhile, a high-level Saudi delegation, led by Minister for Investment Engineer Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, will visit Pakistan from October 9 to 11, 2024. The delegation comprises representatives from a wide spectrum of government agencies and private sector entities.

The Saudi delegation is scheduled to meet with the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan and the visit is aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership.

To a question about the agenda and status of Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik’s visit, the spokesperson said, “Dr Zakir Naik, as far as I understand, is in Pakistan to deliver lectures and engage with people from different walks of life. We are not aware of any specific agenda regarding his visit. Secondly, there are no cases against him in Pakistan so he is free to visit Pakistan. With regards to his visit details, you may like to consult his office or the Ministry of Religious Affairs.”