ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday telephoned Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Muhammad and expressed his regrets for not being able to attend the summit, which starts today and will continue till Saturday.

Dr Mahathir appreciates Imran Khan’s call to inform of his decision not to attend the summit where the Pakistani leader was expected to speak and share his thoughts on the state of affairs of the Islamic world.

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The Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today clarified the Kuala Lumpur Summit (KL Summit) 2019 is not intended to create a new bloc to replace the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

It said the summit was not a platform to discuss religion or religious affairs but particularly to address the state of affairs of the Muslim ummah.

“As a small nation, Malaysia is fully aware of its limitations and capabilities. We are merely attempting to contribute what little we can for the betterment of the ummah (Muslims),” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will also not attend the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 as he has cancelled his visit to Malaysia following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s similar decision.

According to sources, Qureshi was expected to represent Pakistan at the summit after PM Imran informed his Malaysian counterpart about his unavailability.

The KL Summit which is into its 5th edition is a Non-Governmental Organisation initiative, supported by the Malaysian Government. It is not intended to create a new bloc as suggested by some of its critics. In addition, the Summit is not a platform to discuss about religion or religious affairs but particularly to address the state of affairs of the Muslim Ummah.