In ‘labor of love,’ Pakistani artist carves birthday gift for Saudi king 

Bas-relief artist Khalil Najmi poses with portraits of Saudi King Salman at his residence in Karachi, Pakistan, on December 19, 2021. (Photo courtesy Khalil Najmi)
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Updated 31 December 2021
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In ‘labor of love,’ Pakistani artist carves birthday gift for Saudi king 

  • King Salman will be celebrating his birthday on December 31
  • Artist Khalil Najmi has spent three years working on relief portraits of Saudi leaders

KARACHI: In what he calls a “labor of love and respect,” Pakistani bas-relief sculptor Khalil Najmi has carved a special set of portraits of King Salman that he hopes to present to the Saudi monarch as a gift on his birthday tomorrow, December 31.
Najmi has been working as a bas artist since the 1980s, painting and carving portraits of world leaders that have been acquired by diplomats and top Pakistani government and military officials. But the greatest honor of his life, the artist says, is if he can present his work to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques “as a birthday gift.”
“The portraits of Saudi leadership are the outcome of three years of a labor of love and respect,” Najmi told Arab News earlier this month.
He said he had spent three years working on relief portraits of King Salman, his late father and the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The three sets of portraits of the Saudi leaders are made in wood, bronze and fiber resin. The resin ones Najmi has painted to achieve a three-dimensional photo effect.




Pakistani artist Khalil Najmi holds a three-dimensional portrait of King Salman at his residence in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN photo)

“For the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, every Pakistani holds deep love and respect,” he said. “I want to touch the hearts of Saudis through my art work.”
Najmi’s work also includes portraits of UAE leaders Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and Sultan Qaboos of Oman.
In an interview with Arab News in September, when asked about his ultimate dream as an acclaimed artist, he said he wanted to present the portraits of Saudi leaders to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
“I have produced these portraits with great love for the Saudi royal family,” he said. “I hope he can graciously grant me the honor to personally present them to him as a souvenir.”




Portraits of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left), King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rehman Al Saud (center) and King Salman bin Abdul Aziz (right) can be seen at the residence of Khalil Najmi in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)

 


Pakistan says repaid over $13.06 billion domestic debt early in last 14 months

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Pakistan says repaid over $13.06 billion domestic debt early in last 14 months

  • Finance adviser says repayment shows “decisive shift” toward fiscal discipline, responsible economic management
  • Says Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over $286.6 billion in June 2025 to $284.7 billion in November 2025

KARACHI: Pakistan has repaid Rs3,650 billion [$13.06 billion] in domestic debt before time during the last 14 months, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Thursday, adding that the achievement reflected a shift in the country’s approach toward fiscal discipline. 

Schehzad said Pakistan has been repaying its debt before maturity, owed to the market as well as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), since December 2024. He said the government had repaid the central bank Rs300 billion [$1.08 billion] in its latest repayment on Thursday. 

“This landmark achievement reflects a decisive shift toward fiscal discipline, credibility, and responsible economic management,” Schehzad wrote on social media platform X. 

Giving a breakdown of what he said was Pakistan’s “early debt retirement journey,” the finance official said Pakistan retired Rs1,000 billion [$3.576 billion] in December 2024, Rs500 billion [$1.78 billion] in June 2025, Rs1,160 billion [$4.150 billion] in August 2025, Rs200 billion [$715 million] in October 2025, Rs494 billion [$1.76 billion] in December 2025 and $1.08 billion in January 2026. 

He said with the latest debt repaid today, the July to January period of fiscal year 2026 alone recorded Rs2,150 billion [$7.69 billion] in early retirement, which was 44 percent higher than the debt retired in FY25.

He said of the total early repayments, the government has repaid 65 percent of the central bank’s debt, 30 percent of the treasury bills debt and five percent of the Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) debt. 

The official said Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over Rs 80.5 trillion [$286.6 billion] in June 2025 to Rs80 trillion [$284.7 billion] in November 2025. 

“Crucially, Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio, around 74 percent in FY22, has declined to around 70 percent, reflecting a broader strengthening of fiscal fundamentals alongside disciplined debt management,” Schehzad wrote. 

Pakistan’s government has said the country’s fragile economy is on an upward trajectory. The South Asian country has been trying to navigate a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.