Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday reiterated commitment to bring enduring peace and stability in Pakistan while supporting all peace initiatives for the regional peace.
In a meeting with General (r) Raheel Sharif, Commander-in-Chief of Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who called on him at the PM Office, the prime minister also emphasized upon the need for greater regional cooperation to eradicate violence and extremism.
During the meeting, regional security environment and efforts for peace and stability were discussed. The prime minister also appropriated IMCTC’s charter for its efforts towards countering violent extremism.
Sharif, who is considered to be close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday leading an IMCTC delegation and has been busy meeting political and military bigwigs since then.
Prior to meeting the prime minister on Tuesday, he met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sharif apprised Qureshi of the measures that are being taken by the coalition in order to combat terrorism, said a statement by the Foreign Office. The foreign minister “lauded the efforts of the coalition force to establish peace and stability in the region.”
The two also talked about the importance of regional peace and stability and other matters of mutual interest. The former army chief then met Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani at the latter’s chamber at the Parliament House. The meeting was attended by members of Senate and the IMCTC.
A day earlier, he met Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. A press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that ‘matters of mutual interest including regional peace and stability were discussed during Gen Sharif’s meeting with Gen Bajwa.’
Published in Daily Times, February 13th 2019.
