Imran to visit Malaysia next week

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to travel to Malaysia next week as part of his governments 'damage control' efforts after Islamabad pulled out of the Kuala Lumpur summit in December 2019.

Official sources confirmed on Tuesday that the premier is scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur on an official visit on February 3-4, reports The Express Tribune.

The visit was due since Islamabad pulled out of the Kuala Lumpur summit at the last moment after Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries voiced their reservations over the gathering of leaders from host Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia viewed the summit as efforts by certain Muslim countries to create a new Islamic bloc.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, however, dismissed such reports, said The Express Tribune report.

Pakistan, which initially accepted the invitation, had to withdraw from the summit on the grounds to maintain its ;neutral position; within the Islamic world.

Khan, nevertheless, spoke to his Malaysian counterpart over the phone and offered to visit after the summit.