10.55 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Egyptian president bows out of Pakistan summit

Published
By AFP

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has bowed out of a scheduled visit to Pakistan, where he was due to attend the Developing Eight summit in Islamabad, Egypt and Pakistan said on Thursday.

Morsi -- who was thanked by the United States for helping to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas -- had been slated to join the Islamabad talks, and his office said he would now stay home to monitor the truce.

"Mr  Morsi took this decision because of the need to monitor internal developments in Egypt and also to monitor the commitments of all parties regarding the ceasefire in Gaza," said the Egyptian presidency.

Vice President Mahmud Mekki was attending the summit in his place.

Pakistan, which wants to use the D8 to improve its international standing, had welcomed Morsi's prospective visit as the first by an Egyptian head of state in four decades.

World leaders hope the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will offer at least temporary respite from bloodshed in Gaza and southern Israel.

Morsi, a leading member of Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected in June in Egypt's first election since a popular revolt brought down secular strongman Hosni Mubarak.

He resigned from his Brotherhood-led party, the FJP, and vowed to represent all Egyptians, but his elevation raised concerns about Cairo's peace treaty with Israel and its ties with Hamas, part of the Brotherhood movement.