ISLAMABAD – Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif met Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince and defence minister, Mohammed bin Salman, upon arrival in Riyadh on Monday.

“After arriving in Riyadh, the army chief met the Saudi defence minister,” the Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement. During the meeting, General Raheel highlighted Pakistan’s perspective on the Middle East situation.

“Due to the situation in Middle East, the Muslim Ummah is weakening,” sources said, quoting the army chief. The army chief stressed the need for opening up the communication channel between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the sources said.