Pakistan tries to ease strained ties with Saudi after Shah Mahmood Qureshi's threat

In an attempt to bring some respite in the strained relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has met Saudi Arabian counterpart General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili to discuss the prospects for military cooperation.

"During the meeting, prospects for military cooperation and ways to support and boost it were reviewed, in addition to matters of common concern," a statement said.

"Gen Bajwa was received by Saudi Arabia's Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces General Fayyad Al-Ruwaili," Geo News quoted Ministry of Defense Saudi Arabia.

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Qureshi's threat costs Pakistan heavily

This meeting comes in view of the decade-long friendly relations between the two countries got strained after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi issued a threatening statement to Saudi Arabia which refused to take steps against India over the abrogation of article 370 in Kashmir.

Qureshi in an interview had issued a warning against Saudi Arabia over organising a meeting of the Council of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Kashmir in early February 2020. As Saudi Arabia had maintained silence on the Kashmir issue, he had said in an interview that Pakistan would be "compelled to convene a meeting of Islamic countries who would support Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir"

Swayed by his emotions, he said Pakistan is ready to shed their blood for Mecca and Madina, Saudi Arabia also needs to play a leading role on the issue of Kashmir. 

"If they (Saudi Arabia) are not willing to play that role, I would ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to go ahead with or without Saudi Arabia", he went on to say even when Pakistan thrives on the mercy and alms from these countries.

However, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), another prominent member of the OIC had snubbed Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, which had pained Qureshi.

Saudi Arabia in November 2018 had announced a $6.2 billion package for Pakistan including a total of $3 billion in loans and an oil credit facility amounting to $3.2 billion.

However, Qureshi's threat cost heavily to Pakistan as Saudi retaliated by saying that Pakistan will not be given loans and oil supply and it was humiliated and made to pay back $1 billion to Saudi Arabia.

With India's strong diplomatic ties in the international fora, contrary to Pakistan's wish, Saudi Arabia and UAE have maintained that Kashmir remains an internal matter of India and the issue between Pakistan and India relating to Kashmir remains a bilateral issue not needing the intervention of other countries.

(With ANI inputs)

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