Saudi-Pak Ties: “One of the closest relationships in the world”

Prime Minister Imran Khan Calls on King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz on Sept. 10, 2018. (SPA)
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Updated 13 June 2020
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Saudi-Pak Ties: “One of the closest relationships in the world”

  • Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to recognize Pakistan after its independence
  • Pakistan is a steadfast defender of the Kingdom with its troops stationed on Saudi soil

ISLAMABAD: The former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki bin Faisal once described relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as “probably one of the closest relationships in the world between any two countries.”

The intimate friendship goes back decades. In fact, Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the inhabitants of present-day Pakistan predates the existence of the south Asian Muslim nation of 208 million people.

Then Crown Prince Saud bin Abdul Aziz laid the foundation of Pakistan-Saudi relations way back in 1940 when he led a high-profile delegation to Karachi, accompanied by five of his brothers, three of whom later became Saudi kings. Aziz was hosted by Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah weeks after his [All-India] Muslim League party passed the Lahore Resolution asking for a separate Muslim majority nation state which ultimately carved the way for the partition of British India in 1947.

Next, in 1943 on Jinnah’s appeal, Saudi Arabia gave £10,000 for those affected by famine in Bengal. Then in 1946, when Jinnah’s Pakistan Movement delegation visited the United Nations to ask for an independent homeland and faced stiff resistance from the Indian National Congress, it was Prince Faisal bin Abdul Aziz who intervened and made sure the movement’s representatives engaged with UN delegates.

In 1947, Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize Pakistan after it gained independence from british rule, and in 1951, the two countries signed a treaty of friendship. In 1954, King Saud laid the foundation stone in Karachi of a housing scheme named after him.

Pakistani President Ayub Khan’s voyage to Riyadh in 1960 laid the foundation for a convergence of strategic interests, following which Saudi Arabia supported Pakistan during both the 1965 and 1971 wars with India. A bilateral defense cooperation protocol was also framed during Saudi defense and aviation minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz’s visit to Pakistan in the late sixties.

Two years following his ascent to the throne, King Faisal in 1966 made a historic visit to Pakistan, during which the government named two roads, an airbase, a city, and a mosque after him. In 1976, the foundations for Islamabad’s famed Faisal mosque were laid by King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz himself.

When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power and sought Saudi financial assistance to level the playing field amid growing threats from India’s nuclear aspirations, the Kingdom obliged and between 1973 and 1980, Pakistan was a major recipient of Saudi financial aid of up to $502 million.

Pakistan also stationed troops in Saudi Arabia during the 1979 Iran-Iraq war and has remained a steadfast defender of the Kingdom. During the Gulf war too, Pakistan sent soldiers to protect the two Islamic holy sites.

In 1998, after Pakistan tested nuclear weapons, Riyadh defied global pressure and provided a large quantity of oil on deferred payments to help Pakistan stay afloat.

Since then, several Saudi leaders have visited Pakistan, including King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz. Several agreements were also inked in 2014 during the visit of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud.

This month, Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is expected to visit Pakistan with a “record investment package” including a $10 billion oil refinery in the deepwater port of Gwadar.


Pakistan army officer adopts baby girl rescued after being buried alive — state media

Updated 08 February 2025
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Pakistan army officer adopts baby girl rescued after being buried alive — state media

  • It is unclear who buried the infant before she was rescued by officials and miraculously survived
  • The case has drawn social media attention, with many praising Major Waqas for adopting the child

ISLAMABAD: An army officer in Pakistan adopted an infant girl who was buried alive in the country’s northwest after her rescue by emergency responders, state media reported on Saturday.
Cases of abandoned newborns, particularly girls, are not uncommon in Pakistan, where poverty, social stigma, gender discrimination and the fear of societal backlash against children born out of wedlock drive some people to desperate measures.
The Edhi Foundation, one of the country’s largest humanitarian organizations, has placed cradles outside its offices in multiple cities, urging parents to leave unwanted infants there rather than harm them.
“A tragic incident occurred in Nowshera, where an infant girl was buried alive,” Radio Pakistan said in a report. “However, the timely intervention of the Rescue 1122 team saved the baby, who was then transported to a local hospital.”
The report said Major Waqas, an army officer attending a course in Risalpur, learned about the case and went to the hospital to see the child.
“After completing the legal procedures, Major Waqas adopted the baby girl through the civil court,” it added.
The state media report did not specify who buried the girl, how authorities were alerted or the circumstances that led to her rescue.
However, it noted the case had drawn widespread attention on social media and local Pashto news channels, with many praising the officer’s decision to adopt the child.


UN agency names Pakistani teen as Youth Advocate for Climate Action, Girls Empowerment

Updated 08 February 2025
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UN agency names Pakistani teen as Youth Advocate for Climate Action, Girls Empowerment

  • 14-year-old Zunaira Qayyum hails from Hub in Balochistan and has previously collaborated with UNICEF
  • Her research on the impacts of climate-induced floods on girls’ education won the agency’s 2023 award

ISLAMABAD: A 14-year-old Pakistani girl championing climate action was appointed on Friday by the United Nations humanitarian and developmental agency for children as Youth Advocate for Climate Action and Girls Empowerment in the country, making her express the resolve for “meaningful change.”
Zunaira Qayyum, who hails from Hub district in Balochistan, has previously collaborated with UNICEF. Her research on the impacts of climate change-induced floods on girls’ secondary education in her native district was among the winners of the UNICEF Policy Research Challenge in 2023.
She has since trained adolescents in her hometown on advocacy, policy engagement, research and network building.
“I am honored to join UNICEF Pakistan as a Youth Advocate to champion children’s rights and well-being,” Qayyum was quoted as saying in a statement shared by the UN agency. “Meaningful change starts with listening to the voices of children and youth and making sure we can participate in decisions that shape our future.”
UNICEF appoints Youth Advocates to amplify children’s voices on critical issues such as climate change, education and child rights. The initiative aims to empower young leaders to engage in policymaking and raise awareness on global platforms. Similar appointments have been made in other countries, with young activists working on issues from environmental justice to gender equality.
Pakistan is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, with floods, droughts and heatwaves disrupting the lives of millions, including children. The UNICEF statement said climate-induced hazards disrupted schooling for 26 million children in 2024 alone.
In Punjab, 16 million children were affected when severe air pollution forced school closures in November.
“The climate crisis poses one of the biggest challenges we have ever faced, but when I listen to Zunaira and the children of Pakistan, I find hope and inspiration for the future,” said Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “We must do more to empower children and young people with opportunities to lead, act and help this country prosper.”
Qayyum, who has represented Pakistan’s youth at national and international forums, including COP29, was appointed at the Dawn Media Breathe Pakistan Climate Conference. The UN agency expressed hope her advocacy will encourage more young people to take an active role in addressing climate and education challenges.


Separated by war, Bangladeshi man reunites with Pakistani family after more than 50 years

Updated 08 February 2025
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Separated by war, Bangladeshi man reunites with Pakistani family after more than 50 years

  • Iftikhar Hussain was a child when his father from a village in Chakwal was killed in the 1971 war
  • His mother, a Bengali woman, decided to stay in the newly independent state with her children

CHAKWAL: After a heartbreaking separation of over five decades, a Bangladeshi citizen reunited with his family earlier this year in a village in Pakistan’s Chakwal district, marking a moment of joy and healing.
The emotional reunion was celebrated with drumbeats from villagers as Iftikhar Hussain, 60, embraced his long-lost relatives in Choa Gunj Ali Shah, the ancestral village of his father, Abdul Rauf, who had served in the Pakistan Army in East Pakistan before the 1971 secession.
“The way they welcomed me made me very emotional,” Hussain told Arab News this week, visibly moved by the warmth he received.
“I hope that my family in Pakistan can visit Bangladesh, and my family there can come here so that we can continue this bond.”

This handout photo shows Iftikhar Hussain arriving after over 50 years in a Pakistani village in Chakwal district. (Handout/AN Photo)

At its inception in 1947, Pakistan was split into two wings — West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) — separated by more than 1,600 kilometers of Indian territory. Though united by religion, the two regions were culturally, linguistically and politically distinct. Over time, tensions grew as East Pakistanis felt marginalized by the central government in the west.
Complaints of economic neglect, political underrepresentation and cultural suppression deepened the divide, eventually escalating into a full-blown crisis. By 1971, amid mounting unrest and a military crackdown, the conflict spiraled into a war, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

Iftikhar Hussain speaks during an interview with Arab News following a family reunion after over 50 years in a Pakistani village in Chakwal district on January 30, 2025. (AN Photo)

Hussain’s father had married a Bengali woman, Munawara Begum, during his deployment in the eastern wing. The couple had five children, who once visited Chakwal in 1969. However, the 1971 war not only divided the country but also shattered their lives.
Hussain said his father lost his life, and his body was never recovered. Devastated and fearing the tensions that followed the conflict, his mother chose to remain in Bangladesh with her children.
At first, both sides of the family stayed in touch by writing letters. However, the exchanges were fraught with danger, as letters from Dhaka were written in Bengali and those from Chakwal in Urdu, often requiring translation.
When translators were unavailable, communication would come to a standstill.

Iftikhar Hussain gestures during a meeting with his relatives and neighbours following a family reunion after over 50 years in a Pakistani village in Chakwal district on January 30, 2025. (AN Photo)

Aftab Hussain, Hussain’s cousin in Chakwal, said each time his uncle’s name was mentioned by someone, everyone in the family would start crying.
“When we finally got in touch with them, their letters would come in Bengali [language], and we had to get them translated in Chakwal,” he said.
“We would read those letters so many times that the ink would fade because of our tears.”
Things worsened when Chakwal was designated as a separate district in 1985, and their village name was changed from Choa Gunj Al Bair to Choa Gunj Ali Shah. The administrative change, unknown to Hussain’s family, complicated efforts to stay connected.
By the early 1990s, all correspondence had ceased, and the families lost touch completely.
Decades later, social media rekindled hope of a reunion.
Hussain’s younger brother, Abdul Khaliq, posted pictures of their father on Facebook, seeking assistance to reconnect with their relatives in Chakwal.
The posts caught the attention of a local social media activist, Arshad Mehmood, in Chakwal who took it upon himself to reunite the separated family.
“I am truly happy that two families have reunited,” Mehmood said, as he shared how he traced Hussain’s relatives in Pakistan.
Hussain said he had recently retired from a bank in Bangladesh before embarking on his journey to Pakistan.
“Most of my elder relatives have passed away. Now, I have one cousin brother and a sister left [in Bangladesh],” he said, before briefly pausing and continuing again with his eyes shining with emotion.
“Everyone here is so happy to see me. I wish my family here [in Pakistan] can visit there [Bangladesh], and my family there may come here.”


New Zealand win toss and bat against Pakistan in tri-series opener

Updated 08 February 2025
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New Zealand win toss and bat against Pakistan in tri-series opener

  • Experienced New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the match with a hamstring injury
  • South Africa is the third team in the event, seen as a warm-up for the eight-nation Champions Trophy

LAHORE: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in the opening match of a three-nation tournament in Lahore on Saturday.
Experienced New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the match with a hamstring injury.
South Africa is the third team in the event, seen as a warm-up for the eight-nation Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates from February 19.
Each team plays two matches before the top two compete in the final in Karachi on February 14.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke
Umpires: Faisal Afridi (PAK) and Michael Gough (ENG)
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)


Two cops killed, two injured as militants attack police post in northwest Pakistan

Updated 08 February 2025
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Two cops killed, two injured as militants attack police post in northwest Pakistan

  • The incident occurred in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when militants attacked police with heavy weapons
  • Separately, military says one of three militants killed in North Waziristan two days ago was an ‘Afghan national’

ISLAMABAD: Two policemen were killed and two others wounded after militants attacked a police check-post in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, a police official said on Saturday.
Pakistan has struggled to contain surging militancy in KP since a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the state broke down in November 2022.
In 2024 alone, the military reported that 383 soldiers and 925 militants were killed in various clashes.
The latest incident occurred in the Bannu district of the province when militants attacked the police post in Fateh Khel, a rundown locality on the outskirts of Bannu, according to local police officer Nadir Khan.
“Terrorists mounted the attack at midnight, leaving two police officers, Rahimullah and Ziaullah, dead and two others injured,” Khan told Arab News.
“The terrorists, who used heavy weapons in the attack, were forced to flee after the police retaliated.”
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, who have frequently targeted security forces and police convoys and check-posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
The latest attack came two days after Pakistani security forces killed three militants in KP’s North Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan.
In a separate statement issued on Saturday, the Pakistani military said an Afghan national was among the militants killed in North Waziristan.
“The individual was later identified as Luqman Khan alias Nusrat (Afghan National), Son of Kamal Khan, resident of Spera District, Khost Province, Afghanistan,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Interim Afghan Government authorities are being approached to take over the body of the individual, being an Afghan citizen.”
Islamabad has frequently blamed the surge in militancy on Afghanistan, accusing it of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.