PM says he wants to take ties with Saudi Arabia to new heights

ON BOARD SPECIAL PM PLANE: While leaving for home on Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are time-tested and they have grown with the passage of time. He said that Pakistan wants to take these relations with Saudi Arabia to new heights.

He was talking to the son of the King, Prince Faisal, who is also Governor of Madina Munawara. The prince came to see off the prime minister at the Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport.

The governor said that Saudi Arabia highly regards the friendship with Pakistan. He said that it is a brotherly country with religious background. The prime minister said, “We highly value our relations with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan wants to take the relations with Saudi Arabia to new heights.”

The prince said the role of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism is commendable.  Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who concluded his three-day trip of Saudi Arabia, assured the world that Pakistan continues to play its role for elimination of terrorism since peaceful ambiance is vital for progress and growth of the nation, including human development.

Talking to media representative accompanying him in the visit during his return sojourn from Madina Munawara, he said that terrorism has become the major world issue and Pakistan has greatly suffered on account of it. For the reason, Pakistan couldn’t afford to be oblivious to the efforts for its elimination. Pakistan had attended the Riyadh US-Arab Muslim leader’s summit with the same objectives.

To a query, the prime minister maintained that Pakistan is opposed to targeting single individual or state but stands by the world for eradication of the menace in its all shapes and manifestation.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended a day earlier the summit and took part in the deliberations on the occasion. He had meetings with the world leaders including Khadm-e-Hurmain Sharifain Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and US President Donald Trump, took part in ground-breaking of the World Centre against terrorism and extremism in Saudi capital.

He travelled to Madina Munawara and spent the whole day in prayers till returning home on Tuesday morning. He offered prayers and offered Salam at the Roza Rasul (Peace be Upon Him). Prime Minister Nawaz also visited the mazars of Shuhdai-Ohadd and offered Fateha at the mazar of Syedus Shuhda Hazarat Hamza. He visited the Janatul Baquee to offer Fateha.

In the course of offering prayers at Masjid-e-Nabvi Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also attended the Namaz-e-Janaza of two persons on the occasion who died in the city. He issued instructions to the authorities concerned to facilitate a young man of KP in transporting the dead body of his wife who passed away during Umrah in Madina Munawara. The fellow called the prime minister when he came out of the mosque.

 Prime Minister Nawaz was accompanied by the first lady Begum Kulsum Nawaz, his son Hussain Nawaz, Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Chief of Protocol Sahibzada Ahmad Khan, Mian Nasir Janjua, Pakistan’s Ambassador for the Kingdom Admiral Hisham Siddique Khan.