Pakistan denies reports regarding troops deployment in Qatar

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson in a statement issued on Sunday rejected reports appearing in some foreign press and media regarding deployment of Pakistani troops in Qatar. The FO termed these reports as completely fabricated and baseless.

He stressed that these false reports appear to be part of a malicious campaign aimed at creating misunderstanding between Pakistan and brotherly Muslim countries in the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region.

Following the major announcement, Pakistan also issued a statement through its Foreign Office that it has no immediate plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.

The country “has no such plans,” the spokesman, Nafees Zakaria, said, following Monday’s surprise severing of ties with Qatar by Islamabad’s key ally, Saudi Arabia, and three other Middle East nations.

“At the moment there is nothing on Qatar issue, (we) will issue a statement if some development takes place,” Zakaria was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The Saudi state news agency SPA said Riyadh had closed its borders, severing land, sea and air contact with Qatar and largely isolating it.

It cited officials as saying it was to “protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism”.

The unprecedented move is being seen as the most serious split yet between powerful Gulf countries, who are also close US allies.