Saudis 'insulted' by Pakistan FM's 'offensive' posture in meeting with KSA ambassador
Saudis have spoken of their outrage over the "insulting" seating position of Pakistan's foreign minister during a meeting with the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan on Tuesday.
Social media users in the kingdom slammed Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his posture when he received the ambassador, Nawaf bin Said al-Malki, in Islamabad.
Qureshi can be seen sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in Al-Malki's direction, which was deemed offensive by many Saudis.
The pair met to discuss current events in the region and "review bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries", according to the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan.
But Saudis and Arabs saw the meeting in a different light.
"Pakistani foreign minister receives Saudi ambassador in Pakistan with unmatched hospitality," said one user.
وزير الخارجية الباكستاني يستقبل السفير السعودي في باكستان بحفاوة منقطعة النظير😂 #فريق_مجاهدون pic.twitter.com/jPMoDtOXxt
— 💎.OSCAR.💎 (@BO__JG777) December 29, 2021
"If there is no strong reason (medical) for the Pakistani foreign minister to receive the kingdom's ambassador in this way, then this is the height of impudence and foolishness and ignorance of the basics of diplomatic protocol," one Twitter user said. "Frankly, if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left,"
تصرف غير لبق وغير مدروس وغير دبلوماسي من وزير خارجية #باكستان تجاه سفير #السعودية الذي أعجب كيف سكت عن هذه الإساءة! pic.twitter.com/Qker7CMpTH
— ﮼ابتسام ﮼آل ﮼سعد ﮼﮼🇶🇦 (@Ebtesam777) December 29, 2021
Another social media user wrote: "Rude, thoughtless and undiplomatic behaviour of the [Pakistani] Minister of Foreign Affairs towards the [Saudi] ambassador... [I] admired how he kept silent about this insult!"
Others compared the "insulting" way Qureshi received Al-Malki to his "polite" demeanour while receiving other officials.
بالأمس دعمت #السعوديه_العظمى باكستان بوديعه وتمويل بقيمة 4.2 مليار دولار
— نستاهلك 🇸🇦 (@9977822) December 28, 2021
بالأخير هكذا استقبل وزير الخارجية الباكستاني السفير السعودي وهكذا تأدب في استقبال غيره ! pic.twitter.com/klA7r91ngc
The Saudi Embassy posted a zoomed-in video of the encounter where Qureishi's foot is not visible.
#اسلام_آباد | استقبل معالي وزير الخارجية الباكستاني @SMQureshiPTI بمكتبه اليوم سعادة سفير #خادم_الحرمين_الشريفين لدى #باكستان @AmbassadorNawaf وجرى خلال اللقاء تبادل الأحاديث الودية ومناقشة التطورات الإقليمية والعالمية واستعراض العلاقات الثنائية بين البلدين الشقيقين. pic.twitter.com/xWHyTynegG
— السفارة في باكستان - سعودی سفارت خانہ (@KSAembassyPK) December 28, 2021
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have deep diplomatic and military ties, but the countries' relations have been strained in recent years after Islamabad reportedly refused a request by Riyadh to contribute troops to the Yemen war.
Pakistan was also frustrated by Riyadh's refusal to back it during the most recent Kashmir crisis with India.