Jeddah, Madina attacks: Pakistan re-iterates security assurance to Saudi Arabia

Pic courtesy: PTI

Lahore: In the wake of bomb blasts in Saudi Arabia by terrorists, including including one outside Masjid-i-Nabwi in Madina, the second-holiest site in Islam, Pakistan has renewed its security assurance to the kingdom nation.

According to Dawn, the government "reiterates its abiding commitment to the safety, security and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia," the Foreign Office said in a statement on terrorist attacks in Madina, Qatif and Jeddah.

The Jeddah attack was carried out by a Pakistani expat whereas the attacks in Madina and Qatif were reported to have been executed by Saudi nationals.

The Foreign Office renewed the security assurance after a telephonic conversation between Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif and Saudi Defence Minister Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

"The COAS sympathised with affected families of attack victims and said we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Saudi brothers in fighting the menace of terrorism," the ISPR said in a statement.

Pakistan has a longstanding agreement with Saudi Arabia guaranteeing the kingdom`s security, however, it came into question when Pakistan did not send troops for joining the kingdom`s invasion of Yemen.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif, in a statement issued by his office, called for unity among Muslim countries in the fight against terrorism and extremism.

"Ummah in particular needs to forge unity at this critical moment to foil the nefarious designs of enemies of humanity and Ummah.

We need to renew collective efforts to fight the menace of terrorism," Sharif said.

Emphasising the unity in the fight against terrorism, he recalled the attacks by militants, mostly belonging to the Islamic State group, in Tur­key, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh during Ramazan.

The statement said that Sharif had emphasised on unity in counter-terrorism efforts 'in the wake of increasing acts of terrorism and extremism across the continents'.