ISLAMABAD: The prayer leader of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Sheikh Dr. Salah bin Muhammad Al-Budair, arrived on a seven-day visit to Pakistan on Thursday, where he is scheduled to meet top government officials and lead the Friday prayers in the federal capital.
The mosque, more popularly known as Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, holds profound historical and spiritual significance in Islam, having been built by the first Muslim community under the supervision of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
It is also his last resting place, making the imams of this sacred mosque deeply respected across the Muslim world and widely viewed as embodiments of religious devotion and scholarly wisdom.
“The Imam of Masjid Al-Nabawi, Sheikh Dr. Salah bin Muhammad Al-Budair, has arrived in Pakistan on a seven-day goodwill visit,” Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry announced in a statement. “Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki and Secretary of Religious Affairs Zulfiqar Haider welcomed the distinguished guest.”
“The Imam of Masjid Al-Nabawi will lead the Friday prayers at Faisal Mosque,” the statement added. “Dr. Salah bin Muhammad Al-Budair will also meet with the president, prime minister and other leaders in the country.”
Pakistan has been frequently visited by the prayer leader of the Grand Mosque in Makkah in the past.
These visits, along with high-level official exchanges, have played a significant role in strengthening the relations between the two countries.
Saudi religious scholars, such as the prayer leaders of the two holy mosques, have fostered closer ties between the two countries, with many of them often taking a special interest in Islamic education and religious institutions in Pakistan.
Sheikh Al-Budair is also scheduled to meet prominent Pakistani scholars and visit universities.
His stay in the country is also expected to further strengthen religious and cultural connections between the two nations.
Imam of Prophet’s Mosque arrives in Pakistan on seven-day visit
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Imam of Prophet’s Mosque arrives in Pakistan on seven-day visit
- Al-Masjid an-Nabawi holds profound historical significance in Islam, with its prayer leaders deeply respected
- Sheikh Al-Budair will lead the Friday prayers at Faisal Mosque, meet top government functionaries
Pakistan expresses condolences as Bangladesh’s first female PM passes away
- Khaleda Zia passed away in Dhaka after prolonged illness at the age of 80, says her party
- PM Shehbaz Sharif describes Zia as a “committed friend of Pakistan” in condolence message
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed condolences over the passing of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, describing her as a committed friend of Islamabad.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced its leader Zia had passed away at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. She died at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where the former prime minister was admitted on Nov. 23 with symptoms of a lung infection, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladesh news website.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.”
Sharif said his government and people stand with the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time.
“Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan and Bangladesh used to be part of the same country before the latter seceded into the separate nation of Bangladesh after a bloody civil war in 1971.
Ties between the two countries have remained mostly strained since then. However, Islamabad enjoyed better relations with Dhaka under Zia’s government compared to when Bangladesh was led by her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina was ousted after a violent uprising last year, leading to improved relations between Islamabad and Dhaka.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in elections set for February 2026.
The BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner, and Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, who returned only on Thursday after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.
-With additional input from AFP
