‘Saudi Arabia telling a nuclear-power what to do’; Twitter react to PM Imran’s Malaysia decision

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has cancelled his scheduled visit to Malaysia reportedly after succumbing to pressure from Saudi Arabia and Twitter is not happy about it.

According to reports, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi will represent Pakistan in the premier’s place at the Kuala Lumpur Summit scheduled for December 18-20, after a meeting between PM Imran with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Riyadh, during which matters related to bilateral relations were discussed.

The Kingdom has reportedly raised serious concerns over the statement of Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohammad, who had recently said that the Muslim countries at Kuala Lumpur Summit would form a new platform to replace the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that he said had failed to deliver on issues faced by the Muslims across the world.

Here’s what politicians and journalists among other Twitterati have to say about PM’s Malaysia decision.

Nuclear power, largest standing, battle-hardened army in the Muslim world. And the Saudis tell us what we can and can't do? Wow.

— Abbas Nasir (@abbasnasir59) December 16, 2019

Backing out from KL Summit: when Malaysia,Turkey, Iran supported Pakistan on Kashmir like a rock, while Modi is so discredited at home & abroad, is very damaging for Pakistan’s core interests on Kashmir + Pakistani Int’l credibility will be in tatters after this shocking U-turn! pic.twitter.com/390nwm4jyV

— Mushahid Hussain Sayed (@Mushahid) December 17, 2019

The only countries that stood by Pakistan on #Kashmir were Malaysia, Turkey and Iran and the Saudi’s get to tell us where our #PM should or shouldn’t go? #ImranKhan should have shown more spine and common sense than this. Who will stand with you the next time? https://t.co/ghG7EZnMrj

— Hassan Akbar (@hass_akbr) December 16, 2019

And many have termed the move “a failure of Pakistan’s foriegn policy”.

PM @ImranKhanPTI put himself in this awkward position on the foreign policy front by first committing to #KLSummit2019 without much thinking, and then buckling under Saudi pressure. https://t.co/x8Gmvsu795

— Baqir Sajjad (@baqirsajjad) December 16, 2019

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that after his Bahrain visit, the premier will travel to Geneva and return to Pakistan Thursday, following which a final decision regarding his Malaysia trip would be taken.