Latest news with #NawafbinSaidAl-Malki
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Fahd Haroon meets Saudi envoy
ISLAMABAD: Fahd Haroon, Minister of State/Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, held a meeting on Friday, with Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. The meeting served as an opportunity to reaffirm the deep-rooted and historic brotherly ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Both sides emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation and discussed matters of mutual interest. The discussions took place in a warm and cordial atmosphere, reflecting the close fraternal bond that continues to define the relationship between the two brotherly nations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
29-04-2025
- Arab News
Three flights depart from Islamabad, Lahore and Quetta as Pakistan begins month-long Hajj operation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan kicked off its 33-day-long Hajj flight operation on Tuesday, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said, with three flights departing from Islamabad, Lahore and Quetta for the Saudi city of Madinah. Over 89,000 pilgrims will travel under the government's scheme during Pakistan's Hajj flight operations. They will travel to Makkah and Madinah via 342 flights in total, with the last one departing from Pakistan on May 31. The first Hajj flight for this year, Pakistan International Airlines' PK-713, departed under the Route to Makkah Initiative from Islamabad at 4:45am, carrying 442 pilgrims. The second flight left the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore at 8:30am with, 147 pilgrims aboard, according to the PAA. The third flight left Quetta for Madinah at around 10:10am, carrying 151 pilgrims. Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki bid farewell to the pilgrims in Islamabad. Yousaf advised Pakistani pilgrims to strictly adhere to Saudi Arabia's laws and respect the local culture during the annual Islamic pilgrimage and said he would 'soon' travel to Saudi Arabia to review Hajj arrangements. 'As Hajj pilgrims, you are traveling to the sacred land as the guests of Allah and ambassadors of Pakistan, and you are urged to respect the laws and culture of Saudi Arabia,' the minister said in a televised address. 'I will take every possible measure to resolve the issues faced by Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and will personally be among them to provide facilities.' The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to streamline immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete official travel formalities at their departure airports. Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of Pakistani travelers. This saves pilgrims several hours upon arrival in the Kingdom, as they can simply enter the country without having to go through immigration again. Around 50,500 Pakistani pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia under the initiative this year. The scheme was launched in 2019 by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and has been implemented in five countries: Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. A total of 28,400 pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia through 100 flights from the Islamabad airport, Pakistan's religious affairs ministry said. Seven special immigration counters have been set up at the Islamabad airport to facilitate pilgrims under the Makkah Route Initiative. The remaining 22,500 pilgrims will avail the scheme at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. This year's annual pilgrimage will take place in June. Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare Khawaja Salman Rafique and Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhail attended departure ceremonies in Lahore and Quetta, respectively. Rafique appreciated efforts of the PAA and all concerned departments in ensuring a smooth conduct of Hajj operations and extended his heartfelt wishes to the pilgrims for a safe and peaceful journey. Balochistan Director Hajj Ilyas Jaffar and representatives of other agencies were present alongside Balochistan Governor Mandokhail at the departure ceremony in Quetta. 'The Honourable governor and other dignitaries requested special prayers for the prosperity of Pakistan and the continued success of all institutions,' the PAA said.
Arab News
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Saudi ambassador receives Pakistani interior minister in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki recently received Pakistani Minister of Interior and Drug Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi in Islamabad. Separately, he met the former chairman of the Senate of Pakistan and member of the Balochistan Assembly, Sadiq Sanjrani, Al-Malki wrote in a tweet on X on Friday. During the meetings, all sides discussed bilateral relations and various topics of common interest. Meanwhile, Saudi Consul General Shafi Al-Otaibi received Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, to discuss strengthening cooperation, the Saudi Consulate in Houston wrote on X.
Arab News
26-02-2025
- Arab News
Saudi envoy gives travel documents to 30 Pakistanis invited as state guests for Umrah
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki on Wednesday formally handed over travel documents to 30 Pakistani pilgrims invited by the Kingdom as state guests to perform Umrah this year, state-run media reported, vowing to facilitate them during their journey. Saudi Arabia's King Salman last year approved the hosting of 1,000 pilgrims from 66 countries to perform Umrah as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit. The pilgrims will be hosted in four groups during the current Islamic year, which ends in the final week of June 2025. At a ceremony held in Islamabad, Malki expressed the Kingdom's 'deep commitment' to facilitate the pilgrims, underscoring the strong fraternal ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 'These guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will have the opportunity to perform Umrah with all necessary arrangements i.e. travel, lodging, and logistical support during their stay in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance,' APP said. The Pakistani beneficiaries of the program expressed gratitude to King Salman and the Saudi government for their hospitality. The APP said thousands of Pakistani citizens have benefitted from similar programs over the years, reflecting the deep-rooted religious and historical ties between the two nations. 'This latest gesture reaffirms Saudi Arabia's unwavering commitment to facilitating the spiritual journeys of Muslims worldwide, particularly those from Pakistan, a country with one of the largest contingents of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims annually,' the state-run media said. Thousands of Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia every year to perform the voluntary Umrah pilgrimage, visiting holy Islamic places of worship in Makkah and Madinah.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- General
- Arab News
Saudi warships join international fleet review as Pakistan concludes AMAN-25 naval exercise
KARACHI: Saudi warships took part in an international fleet review at the Arabian Sea off the coast of Karachi on Tuesday as Pakistan concluded its multinational naval exercise AMAN-25, which aimed to strengthen maritime security and cooperation and featured participation from over 60 countries. A fleet review is a formal inspection of a navy's fleet by high-ranking officials. The international fleet review in Karachi, marking the finale of the five-day naval exercise, was attended by senior military and diplomatic officials including Pakistan's Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki. 'This international fleet review marks the conclusion of exercise AMAN-25,' Rear Admiral Abdul Munib, Pakistan Navy's fleet commander, said. 'In 2007, we started AMAN exercise series, and this one is the ninth edition of the exercise.' Munib said 28 countries participated in the first AMAN edition while during last year's exercise, 50 countries took part. He said in the 2025 edition the number of participating countries swelled to over 60. The AMAN exercise is conducted every two years under the 'Together for Peace' theme. Over 30 warships, including the Royal Saudi Navy's HMS Jazan and HMS Hail along with 16 air units took part in the international fleet review. The naval exercise began on Feb. 7 and consisted of harbor and sea phases, featuring various drills and operations to enhance interoperability among the naval forces. The last day of the sea phase included aerial operations, replenishment-at-sea exercises, counter-piracy demonstrations, and live-fire exercises followed by a spectacular fly-past. Captain Humayun Yaqoob, commanding officer of Pakistan Navy ship PNS Moawin, emphasized the strategic importance of the event. 'The basic purpose of this exercise is 'Together for Peace'. All these 60 nations, they are here. They are together with us for peace,' Yaqoob said. 'It [exercise] is giving a message. It is the confidence of the international community that this exercise is a meaningful platform.' The AMAN-25 exercise was complimented by the inaugural AMAN Dialogue, held from Feb. 9-10, which brought together naval chiefs, coast guard officials and defense representatives to discuss challenges in the Indian Ocean. Topics included strategic competition, piracy, narco-trafficking, climate change, and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and unmanned systems. Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal underscored the importance of collaboration in the region during the dialogue. 'The Indian Ocean should not be a rivalry playground but a center of opportunities for all nations,' he said. 'Pakistan prefers collaboration over confrontation, and Aman-25 is an example of mutual trust and shared prosperity.' The Indian Ocean remains a focal point of geopolitical competition, with China expanding its naval presence and the United States strengthening defense ties with India. Pakistan, through AMAN-25, positioned itself as an advocate for cooperative maritime security, engaging regional and global partners to ensure stability in waters crucial for global trade. The event also included counterterrorism drills at sea, with special forces from various nations conducting visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations, amphibious exercises, and combat search-and-rescue missions. As the exercise concluded on the last day, participating warships including those from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Sri Lanka, UAE and the US paid a ceremonial mark of respect to the chief guest on PNS Moawin, Pakistan's army chief.
