Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has delayed the start of his visit to several Asian countries by a day and will postpone travel to two South-east Asian nations.
Prince Mohammed will arrive in Pakistan today, a day later than scheduled, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement without giving a reason for the delay.
He is expected to sign a number of memorandums of understanding for investments including one for the setting up of a US$10 billion (S$13.5 billion) oil refinery.
There are heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after an attack on a convoy in Kashmir last week left 40 Indian paramilitary personnel dead and many others injured. Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Kashmir has been divided between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan since 1947 but is claimed in full by both.
It is not clear if the attack and tensions are behind the Saudi prince’s delayed visit.
The prince – the kingdom’s de facto ruler – is also scheduled to visit China and India as part of an Asian tour during which he is expected to sign a slew of bilateral investment agreements.
He is postponing his trips to Indonesia and Malaysia, according to the respective foreign ministries.
Two Pakistani government sources said the prince is likely to meet Afghan Taleban representatives during his visit to Pakistan as part of efforts to broker an end to Afghanistan’s 17-year-old civil war.
Along with other Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia has been part of the peace negotiations and is seen to have some sway over the Afghan Taleban militants due to Riyadh’s historical ties with the hardline Islamist group as well as the kingdom’s religious clout as the birthplace of Islam.
Saudi Arabia is looking eastward after a troubled year for its relationships with the United States and Europe, with the alliances shaken by the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul.
