Saudi women artists present works in first Pakistan exhibition

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) director general Dr. Fouzia Saeed look at artworks by Saudi artists presented at the "Weaving Threads" exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad on March 10, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan National Council of the Arts)
Short Url
Updated 11 March 2020
Follow

Saudi women artists present works in first Pakistan exhibition

  • Exhibition showcases works of Nouf Beydoun, Raeda Ashour, Nojoud Al-Sudairi, and Nora Al-Issa
  • Bilateral cultural exchanges have been sought after lately by both countries

ISLAMABAD: The National Art Gallery presented works of Saudi weaving artists in Islamabad on Tuesday, at a unique exhibition held in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

The exhibition, “Weaving Threads,” showcases women artists Nouf Beydoun, Raeda Ashour, Nojoud Al-Sudairi, and Nora Al-Issa, whose works are being presented in Pakistan for the first time.




Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) director-general Dr. Fouzia Saeed inaugurate "Weaving Threads" at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad on March 10, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan National Council of the Arts)

Held by Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the display represents emerging freedoms for Saudi women and aims at helping women in developing new links with the global art world, the organizers said in a statement.

The exhibition was opened by Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and PNCA director-general Dr. Fouzia Saeed, who highlighted the importance and historical strength of cultural relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as the role of artists in building “the social fabric of societies and bridging cultures.”




"Weaving Threads," an exhibition of artworks by Saudi weavers, was opened at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad on March 10, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan National Council of the Arts)

Bilateral cultural exchanges have been sought after lately by both countries.

During a visit to Saudi Arabia in March 2019, Pakistan’s then Information Minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry underscored the importance of strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.

In September 2018, Saudi Information Minister Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad visited Pakistan to discuss cooperation in the fields of media and culture.


Pakistani official joins global finance leaders at event hosted by Trump-backed venture

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani official joins global finance leaders at event hosted by Trump-backed venture

  • Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal bin Saqib attends World Liberty Financial event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate
  • Discussions focused on future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation, says Saqib’s office 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman and Minister of State Bilal bin Saqib joined global finance leaders at an event hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture linked to US President Donald Trump’s family, Saqib’s office said on Thursday. 

The event was hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024 linked to Trump’s family. According to Saqib’s office, the gathering was held at Mar-a-Lago, the private estate and club owned by Trump in Florida. 

Speakers and attendees at the event included David Solomon, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, Adena Friedman, chairperson and CEO of Nasdaq as well as Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange, Saqib’s office said. The event was organized and hosted by Eric Trump and American businesspersons Zach Witkoff and Alex Witkoff. 

“Discussions focused on the future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation and the evolving relationship between regulation and emerging financial technologies,” the statement said. 

It said Saqib’s attendance at the event reflected Pakistan’s growing engagement with global discussions shaping the next phase of financial and technological transformation.

“As Pakistan moves toward modernizing its financial infrastructure and strengthening its position in the global digital economy, such high-level engagements signal increasing international recognition of the country’s regulatory direction and leadership,” the statement added. 

Last month, Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial to explore the use of a dollar-linked stablecoin for cross-border payments.

Pakistan has stepped up efforts recently to regulate its digital asset sector and is exploring digital currency initiatives as part of broader measures to reduce cash usage.