Saudi king asks Sharif to avoid controversial issues

Lahore, Sep 14 (ANI): Saudi King Abdullah Abdul Aziz has advised PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to avoid controversial issues and promote reconciliation for the continuation of the democratic system in Pakistan.

Sharif, who is in Saudi Arabia, met King Abdullah on Sunday and discussed matters of mutual interest including national, regional and international issues.

The meeting, which lasted for more than one hour, was also attended by PML-N leader Ishaq Dar, Sharif's son Hasan Nawaz and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz.

The sources said during the meeting King Abdullah advised Sharif to adopt a reconciliation policy in the country.

Sharif was also asked to avoid touching controversial issues and play his role to steer the country out of political instability, the sources added.

The sources said Saudi authorities had asked Sharif to withdraw his demand for trying Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution, The News reported.

Also, the Gulf Times claimed that Nawaz was not given the highest level of protocol, which implied that the Saudis were not happy with him.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Ishaq Dar, however, said the issue of the trial of former president Pervez Musharraf was not discussed in the meeting, because the Saudi Government had no intention of interfering in the country's internal matters but was keen to see political stability. (ANI)