Pakistan reaffirms commitment to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia at 94th National Day celebrations

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom marked its 94th National Day.
Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day, also known as Al-Yaom-ul-Watany, on September 23 each year to commemorate the unification of the Kingdom and its founding by King Abdulaziz in 1932.
The Saudi embassy in Islamabad organized an event to celebrate the day, with President Zardari attending the ceremony as the chief guest. Members of Pakistan’s federal cabinet, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, religious scholars, diplomats, dignitaries, and civilian and military officials also participated in the event.
President Zardari extended his felicitations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the people of Saudi Arabia on their National Day. He noted that the two brotherly countries enjoyed cordial relations in various fields and always supported each other in challenging times.
“On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to further enhancing our bilateral relations in the areas of trade, business and culture,” he said, while addressing the event. “We will continue to work together for the advancement of our nations, the unity of Muslim Ummah, and the promotion of peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
The Pakistan president appreciated Crown Prince Mohammed’s Vision 2030, which he said had placed Saudi Arabia on a path to greater progress and prosperity.
“The Kingdom has embarked on a journey of progress and modernization through Vision 2030 as the bold initiatives being taken to diversify the economy and empower the youth to build a vibrant society are truly inspiring,” he added.
Saudi Arabia is consolidating its economy along modern lines under the Vision 2030 program. The strategic development framework intends to cut the Kingdom’s reliance on oil and is aimed at developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.
President Zardari expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its continued support to Pakistan and for hosting nearly 2.7 million Pakistanis, who were not only a source of remittances to the South Asian country, but they were also making contributions to the Kingdom’s social and economic development.
In his video message played at the event, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid a tribute to the visionary leadership of King Salman for steadfastly guiding the Kingdom toward progress and prosperity, while upholding the sacred responsibilities of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
“We also highly commend the sagacious and farsighted vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman whose initiatives have positioned Saudi Arabia as a beacon of modernity, innovation and economic growth,” he said, adding that the Kingdom was assuming a global leadership role.
“The Kingdom is making remarkable strides in ease of doing business, surpassing the world’s largest economies, embracing modern techniques as it is in fact among the countries that are leading in science, technology, innovation and enterprise.”
Sharif thanked the Kingdom for standing by Pakistan in difficult times.
“The people of Pakistan join me in acknowledging from the core of our hearts the Kingdom’s generosity in helping stabilize Pakistan’s economic situation from time to time,” he said. “These historic gestures have touched us deeply and profoundly forever.”
In his speech, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki said it was a “glorious day” in the history of the Kingdom, which symbolized unity, prosperity and a long journey of progress.
“The Kingdom is witnessing tremendous transformations that have included all areas of life, from economy to education, health and infrastructure,” he said, adding that the Kingdom went through several stages of growth and development until it became a model in the Arab and Islamic worlds.
“The Kingdom continues to play its leadership role in the Arab and Islamic worlds, especially with regard to defending the issues of the Islamic nations and supporting the stability of the region.”
The depth of the historical and fraternal relations that bound Pakistan and Saudi Arabia added a special dimension of pride and appreciation to this national occasion, he said.
“Today, we are not only celebrating a national occasion, but we are also celebrating the strengthening of bilateral relations that are growing stronger day after day,” the ambassador added.