Pakistani PM Walks Away from Saudi King after Brief Handshake (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, was filmed walking away from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, following a brief handshake and greeting during the recent OIC summit in Mecca.
The footage shows the Pakistani PM speaking directly to the Saudi monarch’s translator rather than addressing the royal himself.
Khan can be seen pointing and gesticulating as he speaks to the translator before walking away, apparently without giving King Salman the opportunity to respond, RT reported.
Claims on Twitter that bilateral meetings between the leaders were canceled as a result of the monarch’s displeasure at the odd greeting appear unfounded, however, as Khan later met with the king and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud before delivering an address at the summit.
During his speech at the OIC, Khan criticized some Western states for their Islamophobia and called on them to “differentiate between moderate Muslims and extremist Muslims.”