According to media reports, PM Imran has cancelled the visit following his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi would be attending the summit in place of the premier.
The PM’s attendance at the summit had earlier been confirmed by Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal after an invitation had been extended by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Muhammad.
According to a report in The News, Saudi Arabia raised serious concerns over the recent statement of the Malaysian premier who said that Muslim countries at the Kuala Lumpur summit would create a new forum to replace the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which he stated, had failed to deliver.
Moreover, notable leaders who would be attending the summit are Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, all leaders of countries that Saudi Arabia has or has had strained relations with.
Saudi Arabia itself has not been invited to the summit, which will be starting tomorrow.
Media reports have indicated that Saudi Arabia and its allies, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait were concerned about the presence of Turkish, Iranian and Qatari leadership at the summit, and had fears about a new, parallel leadership forum being developed to undermine Saudi Arabia.