PM, COAS reach Saudi Arabia to attend ongoing IMCTC conference

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 ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa reached Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday to participate in the ongoing conference of the 40-country Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC).

The premier and military chief will hold important meetings with the Saudi leadership, including the Saudi king and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Suleman, on important issues, including regional situation and terrorism.

On Sunday, defence ministers of the 41 nations forming the IMCTC unveiled the terms of reference of the alliance.

Defence Minister Khurrum Dastagir represented Pakistan at the day-long meeting presided over by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

Pakistan had principally agreed to be part of the coalition but withheld its decision regarding the extent of its role till the ToRs were finalised.

Earlier, addressing the conference, former army chief Gen (retd) Raheel Sharif, who’s heading the IMCTC, dispelled the impression that the group was sectarian in nature and had any sinister plans. Speaking at the conference, he insisted that the sole objective of the alliance was to ccounter-terrorismand that it was not against any country or any sect.