LAHORE: Imam-e-Kaaba Dr Al-Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad al-Talib called on Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday.
Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. The Imam-e-Kaaba, speaking on the occasion, praised the chief minister for matchless development projects in Lahore and all over Punjab, and said he had visited the city last year and found it making progress and during his current visit has found more progress in Lahore. He said the journey of progress was continuing at a fast pace under the CM’s leadership. He said a lot of people had told him about the CM’s untiring efforts for the welfare and development of Pakistanis.
He said he was pleased to know that the CM was working hard for the welfare and progress of the people due to which the whole province of Punjab was progressing and he prayed for more successes in the future.
He said that owing to Shehbaz Sharif’s hard work, the progress and development will spread to the whole of Pakistan. He said that his visit to Pakistan was a matter of pleasure for him and the people of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia shared a strong bond of love and religion which was above all relations. He said the strength of Pakistan was the strength of Saudi Arabia and the power of Saudi Arabia was power of Pakistan. He said Pakistan had a significant place in the Muslim world and Pakistan was playing a vital role for peace and stability in the region and the political role of Pakistan in this regard was an establish fact.
Dr Al-Sheikh Salen said that for these reasons, Saudi Arabia supports peace efforts of Pakistan and it is standing with Pakistan in this regard. “We give respect and value to the cooperation extended by the Pakistani government, the people and the Pak Army as both the countries have historical brotherly relations and the rulers of both the countries have strong bonds of purity and mutual respect. The whole Muslim ummah is very well aware of historical ties between the people of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and both the countries have helped each other during crisis and the matters have been resolved in difficult times,” he said.
Warmly welcoming the Imam-e-Kaaba for his arrival in Lahore, CM Shehbaz said, “Your visit to Pakistan is a matter of honour and respect for Pakistan and I welcome you and your delegation to the historical and cultural city of Lahore. Bilateral ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are above worldly benefit and peace is our mutual asset.”
He said the royal family of Saudi Arabia whole heartedly helped Pakistan and stood shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan during troubled times.
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki, Sheikh Saad Al-Dosari, Senator Professor Sajid Mir, Hafiz Dr Abdul Kareem and others were also present in the meeting.
Published in Daily Times, March 11th 2018.
