Kuwait (Web Desk): President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday visited Kuwait and offered condolences over the sad demise of former emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.
According to a President House statement, the President Alvi expressed profound sympathies with the new emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti leadership and nation on behalf of Pakistan’s government and people.
The president termed late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a sincere and trusted friend of Pakistan, who made an invaluable contribution to bringing the two countries and peoples closer.
“Sheikh Sabah’s efforts in the bilateral context and for regional peace and stability would be long remembered,” President Alvi added.
Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah died on On September 29 at the age of 91.
Sabah, following an unspecified condition, was flown to the United States in July for medical treatment after a surgery.
Dubbed as the "dean of Arab diplomacy" Sheikh Sabah had ruled the Arab country since 2006 and had commandeered its foreign policy for the past 50 years.
Sheikh Sabah earned the title "dean of Arab diplomacy" for his efforts to restore relations with states that had thrown their weight behind Iraq during the 1990-91 Gulf War.
He came to power in January 2006 after Emir Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah was deposed on health grounds by the Kuwaiti parliament just nine days into his new role as the Emir.
On September 30, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was sworn in as new Emir of Kuwait succeeding after the late Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Sheikh Nawaf was named Crown Prince in 2006, the same year Sheikh Sabah was appointed emir.
Under Kuwait's constitution, each new crown prince must be approved by a majority in the country's National Assembly.
As per the Kuwait’s traditions, the succession of the Emir and Crown Prince positions are limited to the descendants of Mubarak al-Sabah.
Sheikh Nawaf, 83, previously served as the minister of defense and the minister of Interior.
After the 1990 invasion of Iraq, he became the minister of labour and social affairs, a role he held until 1992. Between 1994 and 2003, Sheikh Nawaf was the deputy chief of the National Guard.
In July, the late Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah authorized Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf to temporarily take over some responsibilities as Deputy Emir.