Pakistan FM in Muscat for condolences over Sultan Qaboos death

Pakistan FM in Muscat for condolences over Sultan Qaboos death.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has arrived Muscat, the capital of Oman.

Pakistan FM in Muscat

Officials of Omani Foreign Ministry and Pakistan Ambassador Ahsan K.K. Wagan received him at the Airport.

The Foreign Minister will express condolence with the Royal family over the sad demise.

Sultan Qaboos

Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said passed away Friday. The Arab world’s longest-serving ruler aged 79.

He maintained the country’s neutrality in regional struggles.

Gulf state Oman’s high military council began the process to choose his successor.

Oman declared three days of official mourning with flags flown at half-mast for 40 days.

Qaboos, 79, had ruled since taking over in a bloodless coup in 1970 with the help of former colonial power Britain.

State news agency ONA did not give any cause of death, but Qaboos had been unwell for years.

However, he also had spent a week in Belgium undergoing medical treatment in early December.

Qaboos had no children and had not publicly appointed a successor.

A 1996 statute says the ruling family will choose a successor within three days of the throne becoming vacant.

The high military council issued a statement which state media carried on Saturday.

New Sultan

Oman named Haitham bin Tariq al Said as new Sultan who is cousin of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said.

In posts on their Twitter accounts on Saturday, Omani newspapers Al Watan and Al Roya reported it.

They broke the story that Minister of Heritage and Culture Haitham bin Tariq was taking the oath of allegiance as sultan.

GTV