Saudi authorities only invited Shehbaz Sharif for talks, not Nawaz: report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have revealed to a local English daily that Saudi Arabia never invited Nawaz Sharif to the Riyadh talks, it was only his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, who was invited to the talks in Saudi Arabia.

Shehbaz Sharif later urged the Saudi authorities to call Nawaz Sharif too, suggesting that PML-N talks of Nawaz Sharif still being “relevant”, despite his disqualification are mere claims.

The report further stated that the Sharifs have not shared details about their visit with the party senior leadership.

On December 30, 2017, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had left for Saudi Arabia to join his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, who had arrived in Saudi Arabia a few days earlier.

The abrupt departure of Shehbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia had triggered speculations about a possibility of another NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) for the Sharifs, at a time when elections are around the corner.

This was followed by the mysterious departure of PML-N lawmakers Khawaja Saad Rafique and Pervaiz Malik to Saudi Arabia – both are considered close aides of Nawaz Sharif.