Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, his niece and Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, along with Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, ISI Chief General Asim Malik, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and other top officials from Islamabad recently visited Saudi Arabia, where they met with Saudi Arabian and Trump administration officials.
(File)
In a major development, the United States and Saudi Arabia have reportedly reprimanded Pakistan on several key issues, including promoting cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. As per reports, US and Saudi officials recently met top Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in Saudi Arabia, and put forth five demands for Islamabad to fulfill, failing which both countries will downgrade ties with Pakistan.
According to US-based Pakistani journalist Wajahat Saeed Khan, PM Shehbaz Sharif, his niece and Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, along with Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, ISI Chief General Asim Malik, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and other top officials from Islamabad recently visited Saudi Arabia, where they met with Saudi Arabian and Trump administration officials.
During the purported meeting, which took place amid a wave of deadly attacks by Baloch insurgents in Pakistan, led by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), US and Saudi officials put forth five demands for Pakistan regarding India, Iran, China, Israel, and terrorism.
US wants Pakistan to recognize Israel
As per reports, the Donald Trump administration is pushing hard to foster ties between Pakistan and Israel, and wants Islamabad to recognize the Jewish nation. Experts claim that US recognizes Pakistan’s military strength, and wants the Pakistan Army to be deployed in the Gaza Strip, if a deal is reached to station a peacekeeping force in the war-torn enclave.
Notably, Saudi Arabia, akin to the majority of Muslim nations, does not recognize Israel as a country, but analysts believe that if Riyadh makes a recognition deal, Islamabad will also follow suit.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have deep strategic and military ties, with Pakistani Army participating in a military operation alongside their Saudi counterparts against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The operation was led by former Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif.
US, Saudi plotting regime change in Iran?
Pakistan was also told to be ready to shed neutrality in case the US and Saudi Arabia launch a campaign for a regime change Iran, a country with whom Islamabad has had a complicated relationship. Both Washington and Riyadh expect Islamabad to lend support if such a situation arises.
On China, US has urged Pakistan not to grow too close to its “all-weather ally”, and maintained a healthy diplomatic distance from Washington’s arch rival.
Islamabad reprimanded on Kashmir terrorism
Meanwhile, both US and Saudi Arabia strongly reprimanded for supporting cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and urged Islamabad to take steps to mend ties with New Delhi by working towards resolving the Kashmir issue. Pakistan was reportedly told to accept India’s sovereignty in Jammu and Kashmir.
Reports also claimed that the Trump administration has warned Pakistan that it will impose sanctions, including a travel ban on Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, if these demands are not met. Recently, Washington introduced the Pakistan Democracy Act, which mandates Islamabad to released jailed ex-PM Imran Khan, or risk sanction and travel ban against Army chief Asim Munir.
US has also demanded Pakistan to actively help in its anti-terrorism operations.
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