Pak, Saudi leadership capable of leading world: President Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday, while lauding their approach on international issues, said the leadership of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was capable to lead the world through their vision.

He was addressing a seminar on ‘Pak-Saudi Relations: Past, Present and Future’ held here, said having their religious affinity, the people of Pakistan were devoted for security of the holy land of Saudi Arabia.

Federal Ministers Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, Special Assistants to PM Allama Tahir Ashrafi and Shahbaz Gill, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Bin Said Al Maliki attended the event held in connection with the celebration of 91st National Day of Saudi Arabia.

The president said the first treaty of friendship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was signed in 1951 and that both the countries had a long history of friendship. He said even after India carried out atomic explosion, Pakistan’s friendly countries stood by it to build the capacity and achieve deterrence.

The president especially lauded the treatment of Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia who also contributed to Saudi development besides sending remittances to Pakistan. He viewed that no incident in the history could hurt the Pak-Saudi relationship as both the countries showed their exemplary friendship even at international forums.

President Alvi said the whole Muslim world looked at the Saudi leadership for guidance on international issues. He said at a time when the commercial and other vested interests dominated the international affairs, the world needed a leadership which formulated its policies on the basis of morality. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could fill the gap, he added.

Lamenting the phenomenon of fake news, the president said the Holy Quran had also warned about the same tendency which also led to the prevailing situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. The president appreciated the vision of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for environment protection as well as Saudi Vision 2030 which featured the development of a modern and unique city. He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia effectively handled the COVID pandemic regardless of whatsoever the fake news said about the two friendly states.

Later, the president gave shields to Saudi Ambassador, Tahir Ashrafi and four overseas Pakistanis for their remarkable contribution to strengthen Pak-Saudi ties. Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Thursday said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed strong and cordial religious and historical relations based on Islamic brotherhood.

Speaking at a seminar marking the 91st National Day of Saudi Arabia here, he said that the people of Pakistan had a relationship of heart with Saudi Arabia as holy cities of Makkah Mukarma and Medina Munawwara were located in the kingdom. He said every Pakistani considered Saudi Arabia as their second home.

Al Saud family had rendered valuable services for Saudi Arabia, he said, adding that King Abdul Aziz was an extraordinary personality known all over the world. Pakistan's relationship with Saudi Arabia, he said, dated back to pre-independence times when King Abdul Aziz visited Karachi in 1940 along with his five brothers.

He said that when in 1946, Bengal was hit by famine, on the request of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Saudi Arabia gave generous donations in All India Muslim League relief fund.

The minister said that since creation of Pakistan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had always supported Pakistan in difficult times.

He said that in 1960s, the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia's defence establishment were set up which had grown with the passage of time and could be termed as exemplary.

The minister said that the relations between the two countries got new impetus through Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prince Muhammad bin Salman and they would further grow in near future.