Pakistan will stand with Saudi in difficult times, says Imran

islamabad — Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan would always stand with Saudi Arabia in difficult times and would not let any other country attack it.

“This is a stated position of all our governments that we will not allow anyone to attack Saudi Arabia. We will stand by Saudi Arabia,” Imran Khan said in an interview with Saudi Gazette on Wednesday when his response was sought on attacks by Houthi militias that regularly fired missiles towards Saudi Arabia and even tried to attack the Grand Mosque in the Holy City of Makkah.

In his remarks on conflicts in the Middle East, Imran Khan said it was distressing to see conflict among Muslim nations and added that Pakistan would like to play a reconciliatory role in bringing the Muslim world closer.

However, Imran stressed that he was not a believer of military solutions and felt that every conflict had a political solution. He said Pakistan could play a positive role in the Yemen conflict.

The prime minister referred to the crises in Libya, Somalia, Syria and Afghanistan and said Pakistan, which had also suffered a lot, would like to play a role of putting out all those fires and of reconciliation.

About relations with Saudi Arabia, the prime minister said the government of Saudi Arabia had always been very generous to Pakistan

in times of need. “Saudi Arabia always has been of great help for us. There is a special bond with Saudi Arabia. All Pakistanis want Saudi Arabia to be secure and prosperous,” he said.

Explaining the reasons why he chose to visit Saudi Arabia for the first foreign tour as prime minister, Imran Khan said Saudi Arabia had a special place in the hearts of all Muslims and it was but natural for a Muslim leader to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.

“I am visiting Saudi Arabia because I was kindly invited by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

King Salman and as a Muslim I should visit Makkah and Madinah. And, of course, historically whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to Saudi Arabia,” he said.

On his vision for ‘Naya (new) Pakistan’, he said his three-pronged strategy was aimed at about fighting poverty and corruption, investing in human resources and building strong institutions.

He said he wanted to achieve his dream of making Pakistan a welfare and justice state where meritocracy is upheld.

The prime minister lauded the

Conflict in Muslim world is weakening all of us and what I believe ideally Pakistan would like to play a role of putting out all these fires, and of reconciliation…

Imran Khan, Prime Minister

anti-corruption drive in Saudi Arabia and said corruption was the main reason why countries remained poor. —