Saudi Arabia launches program to distribute premium dates to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance launched a program this week to distribute ten tons of premium dates to Pakistan, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Gift Program was launched by the ministry at the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan on Saturday, APP said. The Kingdom’s ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, attended the launching event in Islamabad.
Al-Maliki said the initiative is part of the Kingdom’s program which was being held in several countries, including Pakistan, during the holy month of Ramadan.
“This program distributes 10 tons of luxury dates, amounting to 30,000 individual gifts,” Malki was quoted as saying by the APP on Saturday.
“These gifts symbolize the bonds of brotherhood and goodwill between the people of Saudi Arabia, its government, and its wise leadership, and the people of Pakistan.”
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month. Muslims in many parts of the world, including Pakistan, traditionally break their fast by eating dates.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia gifted Pakistan 100 tons of dates before Ramadan began. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and brotherly relations. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates, serving as the top destination for remittances for the cash-strapped South Asian country.