ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s outgoing Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Khan Hasham bin Saddique, said that the friendship between the Riyadh and Islamabad is “above personalities and has its roots in the people of both the countries”, a statement issued by the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah said on Wednesday.
Ambassador Hasham was speaking at the farewell lunch in Jeddah which was hosted by the Consul General of Pakistan, Shehryar Akbar Khan.
The outgoing Pakistani ambassador said that people to people contact between the two countries has acted as a base for these relations which have strengthened with each passing day.
“Enjoyed every day of his stay in the kingdom due to two major reasons. The first reason is the closeness to the holiest places of the Muslims. Second is the opportunity to serve the large diaspora of the Pakistani community living in the Kingdom,” Ambassador Hasham said.
He termed the duration of his service to the Pakistani community residing in the Kingdom as a “sacred duty” which he tried to perform to the best of his abilities.
Ambassador Hasham expressed his gratitude to King Salman, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, and theSaudi government for providing him with a conducive environment to serve both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Consul General Khan appreciated the ambassador for his fruitful tenure in the Kingdom, adding that his personal interest in community matters motivated the rest of the team to perform even better.
Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy a multi-faceted and deep-rooted cooperation. Since assuming office in August this year, Prime Minister Imran Khan has visited Saudi Arabia twice, with his administration terming the trips very successful.
