KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed his official visit to Malaysia scheduled for this Friday, in light of recent tensions following the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said Shehbaz informed him of the decision during a phone call yesterday.
“I expressed my full understanding of the difficult circumstances Pakistan is facing and conveyed Malaysia’s hope that the situation will de-escalate swiftly.
“I strongly condemned any form of violence and affirmed Malaysia’s support for an independent and transparent investigation to identify those responsible,” he said in a Facebook post today.
He added that Malaysia remains open to playing a constructive role, should the need arise.
“We believe our close ties with both Pakistan and India place us in a position to support efforts towards regional peace and stability,” he said.
Anwar said Shehbaz also reiterated his appreciation for Malaysia’s longstanding friendship and expressed his hope to expedite the signing of a memorandum of understanding currently under negotiation.
“I reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to facilitating the process. God-willing, when the time is right, we look forward to welcoming PM Shehbaz to Malaysia in a spirit of peace and goodwill,” he said.
India and Pakistan have experienced a deterioration in relations following a terror attack in Kashmir on April 22.
— Bernama
