Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Wednesday said Pakistan has not yet formally joined the 34-country bloc as technical assistance and other matters required detailed discussion.
“Pakistan had neither signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia nor joined the 34-country alliance to fight terror due to some outstanding discussion”, said Sartaj Aziz, in a written reply to a question in the National Assembly.
He said that Pakistan had welcomed the Saudi-led grand alliance among 34 countries against extremism. He added other Muslim countries were also joining the grand alliance in bid to root out terrorism. However, interest of Syria, Iraq and Iran about the participation had not been asked.
He said a meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of the alliance were to be held in February, however, no tentative date had been announced so far. If a meeting was held, Pakistan would raise question regarding participation of the three Muslim countries, he added.
The Advisor said that Pakistan would stand by Saudi Arabia for its stability and sovereignty. Some 1,000 to 1,200 Pakistani troops were always there according to the defence agreement signed in 1982.
Shahida Rehmani of Pakistan People’s Party asked Sartaj Aziz to clarify whether Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Nawaz Sharif’s residence in Lahore’s Jati Umra for a business deal or attend his granddaughter’s wedding.
Replying to the question, the Advisor said that Modi’s Lahore visit had revitalized Pakistan-India efforts to improve relations and solve outstanding issues.
