Speakers at a seminar on Friday called for further boosting the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, stating that enhanced cooperation between the two leading Islamic nations would help both the friendly nations to face emerging challenges and better serve shared interests. The moot was held here under the aegis of Pak-Saudia Cooperation Forum (PSCF) with the former Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani, who is Chairman of the PSCF, in the chair. Addressing the gathering, former chairman of the chiefs of staff committee General (retired) Ihsanul Haq said that the bilateral relations between both the countries was decades-old and these relations needed to be developed into enhanced strategic partnership. He said that the ties between the nations were above any political, sectarian and ethnic divides and had successfully seen challenges and were time-tested. “Saudi Arabia was one of those first countries which recognized Pakistan after independence. Whether it was wars of 1965, 1971 or sanctions after nuclear tests, Saudi Arabia came forward and helped Pakistan,” he added. PPP Senator Dr. Saeeda Iqbal said that Saudi Arabia was the center for the Islamic world. She said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should launch joint efforts to revive the OIC as a robust body. She said relations with Saudi Arabia were priority of all governments as Muslims had great regard for the holy sites in the Kingdom. She said that Pakistan could use its influence to improve strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. She said that the forum should work to improve people-to-people contacts between both the friendly countries. Mohammed Ali Durrani called for boosting the strategic relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and said that this partnership could help remove injustices and bring peace and stability in the region, resolving decades-old issues like Kashmir and Palestine. He said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should be given a leading role in campaign against terrorism and extremism due to the understanding of the real issues and their influence in the region. Referring to the changing scenario in the Arab world, Durrani said that due to the fast developments taking place in the region, there was an urgent need to bring in reforms and remove injustice in the society. “Where there is peace and stability in Arab countries, joint efforts are needed to remove conspiracies against their governments. Saudi Arabian people are prosperous due to visionary approach adopted by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” he added. Calling for the need to boost Arabic-language learning in the country, PML-Likeminded leader Senator Salim Saifullah Khan said that it would have been better if the proposal by Prince Agha Khan had been accepted and Arabic had been given national-language status after independence in Pakistan. “This would have made us better and practicing Muslims,” he said and added that the foreign ministry should work diligently to improve relations with Saudi Arabia.
