ISLAMABAD, JUN 12 (DNA) – In a bid to find a solution to ongoing diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of Pakistan’s top envoys from Gulf countries to discuss Saudi-Qatar rift today (Monday).

Reportedly, Pakistani ambassadors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz will attend the conference.

After the meeting, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Saudi Arabia today on a daylong visit. He will be accompanied by Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and advisor Sartaj Aziz.

“Since Pakistan enjoys good relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar, we will try our best to resolve the differences between the Arab countries,” Nawaz Sharif had told journalists during a recent visit to Kazakhstan.

Pakistan shares “good” ties with all Gulf countries and has been asked by the country’s parliament to stay neutral in the crisis, while trying to resolve it.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had cut ties with Qatar last week, accusing their former Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ally of supporting extremist groups.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan rejected as “fabricated and baseless” reports that it plans to deploy its troops in Qatar amid diplomatic tensions in the Middle East.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria rejected reports appearing in some foreign media regarding deployment of Pakistani troops in Qatar.

He said these were “completely fabricated and baseless”.

Zakaria stressed that “these false reports appear to be part of a malicious campaign aimed at creating misunderstanding between Pakistan and brotherly Muslim countries in the Gulf.”=DNA

============