Honorable Chairman Majlis-as-Shura

Fellow Parliamentarians and distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I feel deeply honored to have the opportunity of addressing this

Majlis-as-Shura on this sacred land of Saudi Arabia, to which Pakistan is

tied through eternal bonds of religion, brotherhood, history and culture.

Since the creation of Pakistan, both countries have enjoyed fraternal

relations. Saudi Arabia has always been with Pakistan during hard times. It

is among the first countries to accept Pakistan as a separate country in

1947, and soon afterwards, Saudi Arabia provided immense support during

the wars of 1965 and 1971 between Pakistan and India.

Generous aid to the people of Pakistan during difficult times has been

an invaluable help by Saudi Arabia. When a devastating earthquake,

measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, hit the northern part of Pakistan on the

morning of 8th October, 2005, thousands of people died and many got

seriously injured. In such circumstances, Saudi Arabia assisted Pakistan by

forming a Saudi based relief organization in Riyadh to ensure the best

utilization of Saudi public donations. While in Pakistan, under the directive

of King Abdullah, a relief organization was formulated to work in all

provinces of Pakistan to help mitigate the sufferings of 2010's tragic Floods

affectees

Ladies and Gentlemen!!

Pakistan and Saudi military cooperation also has a long history which

dates back to 1960, when Pakistan Army and Air-force began extended

training missions to Arab countries in the 1960s. Pakistan Air Force

personnel engaged in combat missions in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Pakistani pilots also participated in Royal Saudi Air Force missions against

Soviet-backed South Yemen in 1969. The 1980s were the high water-mark

of Saudi-Pakistan security cooperation.

The Saudi Leaders have always supported Pakistan’s agenda over

Kashmir issue with India. In April 1966 when King Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz

visited Karachi, in his speech regarding Kashmir issue he expressed his

view point in the following words:

“If we have shown brotherly feelings and cooperation for this Islamic

country, it is because this is the least of what our religion and belief

demand from us”

When Pakistan was sanctioned by various countries like US, UK,

Japan, after it did nuclear blasts in 1998, it was again the Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia who supported Pakistan economically and morally at that time. In

return Pakistan provided them with military support and military trainings at

different point of times. Pakistan also assisted Saudi Arabia during the Iraq

war in 1990 -91 when upon Saudi Arabia’s request Pakistan army was sent

to safeguard the sacred cities of Makkah and Madina.

Ladies and Gentlemen!!

To further enhance and strengthen the existing fraternal relations

between the two countries in all fields of mutual interest, Pak Saudi joint

ministerial commission was established in May 1974. Ever since its

creation its meetings have been held alternately in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, High-level visits from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflect the

great depth and warmth of bilateral relations. Saudi Shura is also keen to

enhance its cooperation with the National Assembly of Pakistan and in this

connection Saudi-Pak Friendship Group has been established in Saudi

Shura and a similar Parliamentary Friendship Group has been formed in

the National Assembly of Pakistan. We hope that the frequency of bilateral

visits between both countries will increase in future.

Ladies and Gentlemen!!

Pakistan has played an important role in the development of Saudi

Arabia’s Educational sector. More than 1.5 million Pakistanis are working in

Saudi Arabia. Pakistani academicians are performing a great service in all

the renowned universities of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

(KSA) became the largest export market of the Pakistani workers around

the world. Pakistan is confident that this bridge will continue to expand and

strengthen in future.

Honorable Chairman

By availing this opportunity, I want to extend full cooperation of the

Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) and the Women

Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) to the Saudi Shura on the behalf of the

National Assembly of Pakistan. This will further strengthen parliamentary

relationship between both countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am confident that this Meeting will give us an opportunity to start a

new era of friendly Relationship between the two brotherly countries and

this would further broaden and deepen the existing cordial bilateral political,

economic, defense and cultural ties.

I once again thank you all for providing me the opportunity to express my

views.