Published 20:18 IST, August 27th 2019
Imran Khan makes his second desperate call to Mohammed bin Salman
For the second time, Imran Khan called up Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over Kashmir a day after admitting that Muslim nations are not backing Pakistan
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Imran Khan held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday night, right after admitting that no Islamic countries are backing Pakistan over Kashmir, subsequent to the abrogation of Article 370 by the Parliament.
The official Saudi Press agency announced that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from Pakistan PM Imran Khan, who brief the monarch on the recent developments of the region.
This was the second time that the Pakistan Prime Minister called Mohammed bin Salman on the Kashmir issue and the communication lockdown in the valley. Mohammed bin Salman first received a call by the Pakistani premiere on August 7, two days after India abrogated Article 370. On August 19, the Saudi Arabian prince called up Khan to discuss the Kashmir issue.
In a desperate attempt to seek global attention, especially that of the Muslim countries, Imran Khan in the past has cited 'atrocities' by the Indian state in Kashmir and accused the PM Modi-led government of 'ethnic cleansing' due to the 'Nazi ideology' of RSS and the BJP government.
Imran Khan's address on Kashmir
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan admitted that no Islamic country has been backing Islamabad because of their "economic interests."
Imran Khan during the address said, "I read in the newspapers that people are disappointed that Islamic countries are not siding with Kashmir. I want to tell you not to be disappointed; if some countries are not raising this issue because of their economic interests, they will eventually take this issue up. They will have to, with time."
The statement came a day after PM Modi was conferred with two awards by UAE and Bahrain, both Muslim-majority nations, on his 3-nation tour.
Saudi Arabia on Kashmir
Despite Imran Khan's desperate attempt to get the Kingdom's Defence Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the same page over Kashmir, the prominent Islamic nation urged "restraint," to both the neighbour nations, however, showed no interest to mediate the issue between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Abrogation of Article 370
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.
During PM Modi's bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France on Monday, PM Modi categorically rejected any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir conflict, saying the two countries can discuss and resolve all issues bilaterally and "we don't want to trouble any third country." Donald Trump said he and Modi spoke about Kashmir "at great length" on Sunday night and he feels that both India and Pakistan can resolve it on their own.
19:39 IST, August 27th 2019