Saudi Cancels Shehbaz's Visit to Riyadh Amid Crisis in Islamabad, Pak PM to Meet Brother Nawaz in UK

Saudi Arabia has cancelled Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the kingdom due to the ongoing political crisis in Islamabad, top sources in the country’s Foreign Office have said.

Sharif’s visit to the kingdom in the holy month of Ramadan has been cancelled due to the ongoing confrontation between the government and the Supreme Court, sources said.

Pakistan is witnessing a rift between the judiciary and the government after a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Bandial fixed May 14 as the date for elections to the Punjab Assembly and quashed the Election Commission’s decision to extend the date of the poll from April 10 to October 8.

Shehbaz Sharif along with his ministers was to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 25-26.

The Pakistani prime minister was scheduled to meet his elder brother and former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Saudi. Nawaz Sharif recently arrived in Saudi from London to perform Umrah.

After the cancellation of the trip to Riyadh, Shahbaz Sharif is now expected to visit the UK next month, sources said. During his stay in London, Sharif will meet his elder brother Nawaz and consult with him on the future of elections in Pakistan.

During his visit to England, he will also attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles.

It is for the first time in the last ten years that the ruling Sharif family’s Prime Minister couldn’t visit Saudi Arabia during Ramadan and met the Saudi Royals.

Source said that not even a single meeting could be fixed with the Saudi Royals, which is why Saudi disinvited the prime minister from visiting the kingdom.

Reports have said that Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has visited Saudi Arabia and performed Umrah. He is expected to meet Nawaz Sharif during his visit and will return back to Pakistan after Eid, ARY News reported.

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