[Saudi Arabia's King Salman and US President Joe Biden in a file photo. (File photo: Hassan Ammar/Associated Press)]
Riyadh/Washington: In a rare show of solidarity and unanimity, Muslim rulers and leaders across the world stood strongly behind Saudi Arabia, rejecting in strong words the classified report of US intelligence blaming the Kingdom’s top leadership for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi hit the media headlines afresh Friday after the US intelligence report submitted to the Congress was shared with the media. The hullabaloo continued for the second day with leading US newspapers running editorials asking the Biden administration “why it was hesitating to sanction Saudi Arabia’s top leadership”.
This led to Joe Biden himself issuing a statement saying his administration will announce on Monday it’s stand on Saudi Arabia.
"There will be an announcement on Monday as to what we are going to be doing with Saudi Arabia generally”, US President Joe Biden is quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
Amid the pressure on Biden administration, Muslims across the world came out in support of Saudi Arabia and slammed the United States of America for leaking to public the classified documents that lacked evidence.
Supports started pouring in for Saudi Arabia soon after the US report on Jamal Khashoggi was made public, and it has just become stronger on Sunday with Pakistan becoming the latest country to express solidarity with its long term ally.
“We have taken note of the public release of the US Administration’s declassified intelligence report, containing its ‘assessment’ on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi,” Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement issued in Islamabad.
“We have also noted that the Saudi government termed Jamal Khashoggi’s murder as an ‘abhorrent crime’ and a ‘flagrant violation’ of the Kingdom’s laws and values”, he said.
“Pakistan recognizes Saudi efforts in this regard and expresses solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he added.
“Pakistan underscores adherence to the rule of law, respect for national sovereignty, and protection and promotion of human rights by all states, in accordance with their respective Constitutional frameworks and international obligations,” the spokesperson maintained.
Earlier, the entire Middle East countries and Arab states, including the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab Parliament and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), had extended their supports to Saudi Arabia while rejecting the US report in total.
Saudi Arabia in itself has called the report “speculative” and lacking conclusive evidence.
On the other hand, US allies like UK and Democrats are calling for “accountability” in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Leading the tirade against Saudi Arabia, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi even urged the US government to re-evaluate its relations with the Kingdom.
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