Babar Ali and Faisal Alvi Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Pak Professional Forum and Jamiatul Ahle Hadees jointly hosted an Eid Milan Party here Friday. About 800 members of the Pakistani community, including men, women and children and representatives of various leading cultural, socio-political and religious and literary organizations attended the event, which kicked off in the afternoon and continued till midnight. Children who participated in various competitions were awarded with prizes. Chief guest and Pakistani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Muhammad Naeem Khan, urged the members of the Pakistani community living in the Kingdom to respect the Saudi laws. Khan also raised several issues emphasizing on drug peddling, which he described as a crime that carries capital punishment in the Kingdom. He said the members of the community should not only keep away from such crime but also create awareness among fellow Pakistanis coming to work in Saudi Arabia. Khan also said that the increasing number of Pakistani beggars around the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina is a matter of great concern “and the practice of begging portrays the country in bad light.” He encouraged the Pakistani community to work hand-in-hand with the embassy to get rid of such a practice. Another prominent member of the community, Malik Abdul Mujahid of Jamiat ul-Ahle Hadees, spoke about the excellent services given to the Pakistani community by the embassy staff and officials under the leadership of Khan. “I appeal to the Pakistani government to extend the tenure of Ambassador Naeem Khan so that the members of the community continue to get efficient welfare services from the embassy,” Mujahid said. Other prominent community leaders from the Pakistani community — Dr. Sayeed Jat, president Pakistan Muslim League (N)-Riyadh; Fayaz Khan, Pakistan People Party; Rana Raouf, Majlis-e-Pakistan; and Asghar Quraishi, president of Pakistan Investors Forum among others — Mujahid's appeal for Khan's extension. The envoy presented Mujahid with a bisht which was presented to him by Saudi Shaikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais.
