July 05, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 19, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s first official visit to the Netherlands has been put off due to the internal security situation.

This was confirmed by the Foreign Office spokesperson on Wednesday.

The prime minister was scheduled to leave for the Netherlands on Wednesday morning on a two-day visit at the invitation of his Dutch counterpart.

His meeting with the Dutch prime minister was fixed for Thursday, diplomatic sources told Dawn.

Apparently, the Dutch government was informed on Tuesday that the visit had been put off following the showdown with the Lal Masjid brigade.

Prime Minister’s foreign trips have been a casualty of the persistent turmoil in the capital following the judicial crisis.

This is the third time in the last two months that his official visit to a foreign country has been cancelled.

Earlier, Mr Aziz had invites from Malaysia and the UK which he had accepted but later he did not go.

Apparently he was advised by the presidency to stay home because of the volatile domestic situation.—Q.A.