Pakistan Army chief General Bajwa arrives in Saudi amid strained ties

Pakistan’s Army chief was visiting Saudi Arabia on Monday in an effort to ease a row between the two countries over policy towards the disputed region of Kashmir.
 

The argument, brought on by Pakistani demands for Saudi Arabia to take a firmer line against India’s behaviour in Kashmir, has threatened Riyadh’s financial lifeline to Islamabad.
 

General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visit was “primarily military-affairs oriented”, the Pakistani army spokesman said. But Pakistani military and government officials told Reuters Bajwa would try to calm a situation that if not reversed could badly hurt Pakistan’s central bank foreign reserves.
 

A traditional ally, Saudi Arabia gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis in late 2018.