Saudi ambassador gifts Umrah ticket to Pakistani artist who drew portrait of crown prince

Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, gestures as Pakistani young artist Umar Jarral handed over the Saudi crown prince's portrait in Lahore on September 22, 2023, during the Saudi National Day celebration event. (Photo courtesy: X/@PKarabic)
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  • Umar Jarral, 33, suffers from cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that can impact a person’s coordination
  • Jarral has drawn other Muslim leaders, including UAE’s prime minister and the crown prince of Dubai

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, on Friday gifted travel tickets to a Pakistani artist who drew a portrait of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier this year.
Umar Jarral, 33, suffers from cerebral palsy (CP), a permanent movement disorder that can impact a person’s coordination, lead to compromised muscle strength, and produce tremors due to the irregular development of certain parts of the brain that control balance and posture.
The young Lahore-based Pakistani artist, who uses computers to communicate, has created portraits of Muslim leaders from around the world, including the Saudi crown prince.
Malki met Jarral during an event in Lahore to celebrate the 93rd Saudi National Day. In a picture shared on social media platform X by an account titled ‘Pakistan in Arabic,’ Malki can be seen standing beside Jarral with the Saudi crown prince’s painting in his hand.
“Omar had drawn a picture of the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince #Mohammed_bin_Salman, and the Saudi ambassador gave him travel tickets to perform Umrah as well,” the account wrote.

Jarral’s brother, Muhammed Ahmed, separately confirmed to Arab News that the meeting with the Saudi ambassador took place.
The Pakistani artist has also created images of United Arab Emirates Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.