With us or Qatar, Saudi asks Pak

Islamabad: “Are you with us or with Qatar?” Saudi King Salman raised this question during a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had visited the Gulf Kingdom for a solution to the crisis. The King asked Mr Sharif to take a clear position on Qatar.

Islamabad, June 14: “Are you with us or with Qatar?” Saudi King Salman raised this question during a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who visited the Gulf Kingdom to find a diplomatic solution to the Qatar crisis.

The Saudi monarch asked Mr Sharif to take a clear position on Qatar during their meeting in Jeddah on Monday, The Express Tribune reported, citing diplomatic sources.

“Pakistan has told Saudi Arabia it will not take sides in the brewing diplomatic crisis in the Middle East after Riyadh asked Islamabad ‘are you with us or with Qatar’,” the paper said.

Pakistan has been treading a careful path since Saudi and other Gulf countries snapped diplomatic ties with Qatar accusing the country of supporting terrorist groups.

Citing a senior government official, the newspaper said Pakistan would not take sides in any event that would create divisions within the Muslim world. “Nevertheless, in order to placate Saudi, Pakistan offered to use its influence over Qatar to defuse the situation.” — PTI