Saudi Crown Prince Delays Visit to Pakistan amid Widespread Protests
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An official visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to Islamabad has been delayed by a day amid protests against him across the country.
Without giving any explanation, the Foreign Ministry said Prince Mohammad will now arrive in Islamabad on a two-day visit Sunday and that his program remains unchanged, AP reported.
It will be the crown prince's first visit to Pakistan since he was appointed heir to the throne in 2017.
The prince was originally scheduled to go to Pakistan on Saturday along with a delegation of businessmen. But Pakistani officials confirmed Saturday that an upcoming conference of Pakistani and Saudi business leaders was postponed "due to unavoidable circumstances."
It suggested that Prince Mohammad will now visit Pakistan with a reduced number of business officials.
The notorious prince will also travel to neighboring India.
Last year, Pakistan voiced its support for the prince when he faced international outrage following the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. The kingdom quickly signed an agreement for a $6 billion assistance package after Khan attended an investment conference in October that saw a wave of cancellations linked to the Khashoggi killing.