RIYADH, 12 January — A special envoy of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf arrived here yesterday for talks with Saudi leaders on tensions with neighboring India.
Minister of Communications and Railways Javaid Ashraf will hand messages from Musharraf to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, explaining Islamabad’s position on the crisis with India, Pakistani Embassy officials said.
During his three-day visit, Ashraf will also meet other senior Saudi officials to discuss other topics, including Pakistan’s recent announcement that it had arrested 240 Saudis who crossed from Afghanistan following the ouster of the Taleban from power.
Islamabad’s move to send a special envoy to Riyadh is part of efforts to win support of Islamic states for the Pakistani position in the standoff after India threatened a full-scale war against the country.
The officials in the Kingdom and Pakistan have forged closer relations in all sectors. Conventionally, Pakistan has been coordinating its position on major regional and international issues with the Gulf Arab states within the framework of the provisions of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
The embassy officials said Riyadh and Islamabad were discussing repatriation of Saudi nationals detained in Pakistan after verifying their identities.
The Saudi Embassy in Pakistan has reportedly asked the Pakistani government to hand over the Saudis currently detained in that country. The Pakistani officials have allowed American intelligence officials to question them.
Asked about the planned visit of a commercial mission from Islamabad, the embassy officials said the delegation from Pakistan would arrive here tomorrow. The seven-member mission, to be led by Khalid A. Mirza, chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, will generate awareness among Saudi investors and overseas Pakistanis about the investment climate in the country.
The move follows strong regulatory provisions announced by the Musharraf government to protect foreign investors and to ensure added incentives to overseas Pakistani businessmen.
