Imran to visit Malaysia soon for 'damage control exercise'

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to visit Malaysia later this month in what appears to be the part of damage control effort after Islamabads decision to stay away from the Kuala Lumpur summit last month, a media report said.

The Express Tribune said in the report on Tuesday citing official sources as saying that the visit was due since last month Islamabad pulled out of the Kaula Lumpur conference at the 11th hour after Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries voiced their reservations over the gathering of leaders from host Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Qatar.

The summit was meant to discuss problems facing the Muslim countries and suggest way forward.

But observers saw it as an attempt by Malaysia and other like-minded countries to create a new Islamic bloc, excluding Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.

However, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had dismissed such reports.

The official sources said that it was believed Khan would use the visit to explain Mahathir as to why Pakistan pulled out of the summit.

Islamabad is also making efforts to reach out to Turkey.

The sources were confident that the scheduled visit of Turkish President Recep Tayab Erdogan to Pakistan next month would help remove any mistrust between the two countries.