Amid escalating tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, has arrived in Islamabad for an official visit, following his stay in New Delhi, Radio Pakistan reported.
Upon his arrival, Al-Jubeir was warmly received by the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan and senior officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his visit, Al-Jubeir met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two discussed a range of issues, including the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India.
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Al-Jubeir is scheduled to hold further talks with Pakistani leadership during his visit, with a particular focus on the escalating situation between the two neighboring countries.
Sources said the United States and Saudi Arabia emerged as two main interlocutors between Pakistan and India. Those efforts were more visible on Thursday.
While Saudi Arabia dispatched Al-Jubeir to New Delhi on an unannounced visit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and later telephoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
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While squarely blaming New Delhi for the current crisis, Pakistan, according to sources, told the Saudi and US interlocutors that Islamabad had never desired escalation in tensions.
It is believed that Pakistan told those international players that the country wanted the international community to condemn Indian missile strikes targeting innocent civilians.
The sources said Pakistan asked both the United States and Saudi Arabia that India needs to mend its ways and will have to reverse its decision on holding the treaty in abeyance.
