Qaeda 1431 H. / 15 October 2010, SPA -- Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Nizar bin Obeid Madani told Pakistan Friends Conference which was held here today that Saudi Arabia has taken the initiative to come to the help of the Pakistani people to have them relieved of their disastrous situations following the 2005 earthquake catastrophe, the 2009 displacement crisis and 2010 floods disaster. Addressing the conferees as leader of his county's delegation which also comprises of the Saudi ambassador to Brussels Abdullah Al-Ma'alami and a number of Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, Dr. Madani welcomed the admission of Egypt to Pakistan Friends list, describing it as a real addition. During the earthquake disaster which ravaged Pakistan in 2005, Saudi Arabia offered a financial grant worth $133 million, he said, adding that an unprecedented single-country effort was exerted by Saudi Arabia to face the aftermath of floods that hit vast areas of Pakistan. He cited the 30-cargo-plane airlift laden with relief items sent by Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, the popular campaign which raised more than $107 million, a land convoy of one thousand trucks which carried thousands of tons of wheat, 350 tons of dates and 30,000 tents in addition to two field hospitals and a search and rescue Saudi team. --More
