PM Ashraf holds informal talks with Saudi king
30 October, 2012
MINA: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday held informal talks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the annual reception organised for heads and officials of Hajj missions.
The reception was hosted by the custodian of the two holy mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for officials and heads of Hajj missions performing Hajj rituals at the Royal Court in Mina Palace.
The two leaders exchanged Eid greetings and the prime minister conveyed best wishes of President Asif Zardari and people of Pakistan for the leadership and people of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi king felicitated the PM on performing Hajj. The premier also held a detailed meeting with Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and discussed matters of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Raja invited the crown prince for a visit to Pakistan which was accepted by the Saudi dignitary. The prime minister congratulated the crown prince on the best arrangements made by the Saudi government on the occasion of Hajj.
The ceremony was also attended by Malaysian King Motassem Billah Moheb Eddin Tuango Al-Hajj Abdulhalim, Guinean President Professor Alpha Conde; Indonesian Vice President Dr Bodiono; Iraq's Vice President Tareq al Hashemi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti Dileita Mohamed Dileita.
Prince Miteb bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz; Governor of Makkah Region and Chairman of Central Hajj Committee Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz; Adviser to the King Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, Interior Minister and Chairman of Hajj Supreme Committee Prince Faisal Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Kabeer; Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, adviser and special envoy to the King; and a number of princes also participated in the ceremony.
Senior scholars, ministers, the secretary general of the organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the secretary general of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states; senior officials and ambassadors of other Islamic countries were also present.
Addressing the ceremony, King Abdullah said that from the holy shrines, the sacred shrine of Mina, and from the neighbourhood of Arafat, from these holy sites, where Talbya, Takbeer and Tahleel echo, and from the vicinity of the ancient house where pilgrims perform Hajj rituals, from this land where faith has prevailed.
"I congratulate you and all of the Islamic nation, praying to Allah to accept Hajj from all who came to this sacred House, and forgive all their sins, and to return them safely to their homelands, after Allah Almighty has honoured them with the performance of the fifth pillar of Islam and the honour of standing in these sacred places, holding firmly to the guidance of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s Sunnah," he added.
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