Pakistan has no plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has no immediate plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

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,” Reuters quoted Zakaria as saying.

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

They say Qatar backs terrorist groups including Islamic State (IS).

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.

The row comes two weeks after the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites. Controversial comments by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, appearing to criticise Saudi Arabia, appeared online.