In commemoration of their national day, Pakistanis join with Saudis in reflecting on their historic relations

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Main picture: Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan, named after the Saudi King Faisal; left, Pakistanis fast at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque. (Getty Images/ Reuters)
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Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan. (Supplied)
Updated 23 March 2019
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In commemoration of their national day, Pakistanis join with Saudis in reflecting on their historic relations

  • “Saudi Arabia sees Pakistan as a country with major geographical advantages, and by investing heavily in Pakistan it has further entrenched itself strategically,” said Farooqui
  • Riyadh enjoys a spiritual power as the home to Islam’s two holiest places, and Pakistan is one of the largest Muslim nations, a military power

DUBAI: Thirty-five-year-old Mushtaq Ahmed prepares a sweet rice dish called kheer in his camp on March 23 every year.
He then goes around his compound distributing it to his coworkers. That is how he has been celebrating Pakistan Day in Jeddah for more than eight years now.
“I live and work in Jeddah as an electrician. Every year on March 23 I used to miss Pakistan Day festivities in my home town,” said Ahmed, who asked not to use his real name.
When the feeling became acute, he called up his mother and asked her for the recipe of this dish.
“I decided to treat all my friends and colleagues regardless of their nationality. This is my way of celebrating my home country in an adopted country,” said Ahmed who comes from a village near Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
What he misses most, however, is going for Friday prayers at the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.
“That mosque is the pride of Pakistan. It was named after the late Saudi King Faisal, who loved our country,” he explained.
“I have been visiting this mosque since I was a teenager. I often prayed to Allah to get me a job in Saudi Arabia so that I can take care of my family members financially,” said Ahmed.
Working in Saudi Arabia has been a dream come true for him. “Earning a living for your family is the ultimate objective for any Pakistani here, whether it is an illiterate worker like me or a Western-educated CEO,” he said.
Ahmed is one of the 2.7 million Pakistanis who live in Saudi Arabia. In his own way, Ahmed maintains the relationship between the two countries.
He is not alone — Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are indeed connected in many ways. So to mark Pakistan Day, Arab News gathered views of experts in both the countries and asked them what the two countries mean to each other.
“Some of Pakistan’s celebrities — model-actor Fawad Khan, politician Marvi Memon and former prime minister Shaukat Aziz — have connections with Saudi Arabia, ” said Ahmed Quraishi, an Islamabad-based journalist and senior research fellow at Project for Pakistan in the 21st Century. Fawad Khan spent his childhood in Riyadh, while Marvi Memon’s father and Shaukat Aziz both worked in KSA.
Success stories of Pakistanis and Saudis connected through marriage could itself be the subject of a book as millions in Pakistan are linked to life in the Kingdom.
For Quraishi, Faisalabad (the Pakistani city named after King Faisal) is a permanent reminder of the connection, as is the Faisal Mosque.
He said that for Pakistan, Riyadh represents a force for positive change, the market economy, and peace in the Middle East.
“Riyadh is bringing in a lot of positivity to the region by promoting religious moderation, region-wide conflict resolution, and encouraging younger generations in the region to become active participants in the global economy.”
Senator Lt. Gen. Abdul Qayum was based in Saudi Arabia alongside 20,000 Pakistani army troops in 1985-87.
“I was a senior officer and as a lieutenant colonel in Khamees Mashaaikh I headed a 1,000-strong force that included pilots, engineers, artillery and defense units,” he said.
Lt. Gen. Qayum remembered those two years as among the best of his career and his personal life. “Since then, like millions of other Pakistanis, Saudi Arabia has been my second home.”
Qayum, who now heads Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Defense Production, quoted Pew research to say that the most positive perception in the world of Saudi Arabia is in Pakistan. He said that faith is the main reason that connects both the countries very strongly.
“Millions of Pakistanis visit Makkah and Madinah for Hajj and Umrah. Our Hajj quota is the second largest in the world,” he said.
Qayum noted that millions of Pakistanis living in the Kingdom further the strong connection that exists between the two countries.
“These expatriates, whether blue-collar or white-collar, send millions worth of remittances to our country, which gives strength to our economy. And it is not just about the nation’s economy, this money also tremendously improves their personal financial conditions,” said Qayum.
It is because of income earned in Saudi Arabia that they have been able to provide quality living to their families.
Pakistan recorded a 12.2 percent increase in the inflow of remittances in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, according to official data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Saudi Arabia continues to be the largest source of remittances to Pakistan, the SBP report released on Monday said, with $2.97 billion recorded during the seven months of the current fiscal year.
Quraishi chooses to look at it from the prism of peace and security, and it works both ways.
“For Riyadh, Pakistan is an anchor for peace and stability in a region extending from West Asia to South Asia and Afghanistan,” Quraishi said.
On the other hand, according to Quraishi, the largest Pakistani diaspora resides in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, and Islamabad has important political, economic and strategic interests tied up to this region.
“The stability and security of the Arabian Sea and Arabian Gulf and the GCC states is an intrinsic Pakistani interest,” he noted.
Omar Farooqui, a Jeddah-based Saudi educator and entrepreneur, believes that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are two forever-intertwined countries. He has his own reasons to draw that analogy.
“Saudi Arabia sees Pakistan as a country with major geographical advantages, and by investing heavily in Pakistan it has further entrenched itself strategically,” said Farooqui.
“For Saudi Arabia, having a strong, prosperous and thriving Pakistan is good for business and stability in the Muslim world and beyond,” said Farooqui, whose father migrated from Pakistan to Jeddah during the 1960s.
“From the oil boom of the 1960s, during the leadership of King Faisal, up to today under the leadership of King Salman and HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has always come to the aid of Pakistan during difficult economic times,” he said.
On the other hand, Pakistan has always provided Saudi Arabia with both tactical military services and a huge labor force for the Kingdom’s real estate and construction projects.
Omar also has numerous Pakistani friends in Saudi Arabia who have been living in the country for decades.
“They live a fabulous lifestyle and would never want to change it for any place on earth. For them, Saudi Arabia is a second home due to the fact that the treatment they get from their gracious hosts is incredibly generous,” he added.
Quraishi said that beyond people and economy the relationship is also about strategic partnership, and Riyadh and Islamabad have key roles to play to end the spread of extremism and extremist violence.
“Riyadh enjoys a spiritual power as the home to Islam’s two holiest places, and Pakistan is one of the largest Muslim nations, a military power, and a country with a long experience in countering the destructive role of groups that espouse extremism and militancy,” he said.
This is why both countries are cooperating with 38 other nations from the Muslim world in a joint effort under the banner of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC).
“The objective is to curb and to end the malign influence of extremist, sectarian and violent groups that hurt the interests of Muslim peoples everywhere, and unite all Muslims in all of their schools of thought in a spirit of tolerance and acceptance,” said Quraishi.
He explained that both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are forward-looking progressive nations that draw support and inspiration from each other and have the best interests of Muslim countries, the region, and the global community at heart.
“This is a significantly important relationship and one that many are watching closely.”


Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan receives Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan.
Updated 05 November 2024
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Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

  • During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan

RIYADH: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan received Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan.

The minister’s visit to the country comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to address the crisis in Sudan, reach a ceasefire, and restore stability to the country. 

The Kingdom continues to support the humanitarian response efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, Saudi Press Agency said. 


Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

  • It shows how the role of the camel evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon embodying the Kingdom’s values

PARIS: The Saudi pavilion at UNESCO’s Arab Week event in Paris this week featured a showcase of the Kingdom’s deep-rooted connection to camel culture.

It explored the role of the animals as a vital part of the nation’s heritage, identity and civilization, and offered a glimpse into their enduring place in society, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The exhibits showed how the role of the camel has evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon that embodies the Kingdom’s values, and the ways in which camels are embedded in Saudi customs, traditions and literature, including poetry and proverbs.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture designated 2024 “The Year of the Camel” to highlight and reinforce the status of the animal as a national symbol and cornerstone of the Arabian cultural identity. Camels are regularly celebrated across the country through dedicated festivals, race events, clubs and research centers.

UNESCO’s Arab Week, which features 22 Arab nations, was initiated by Saudi Arabia. Guests at the official opening of the event on Monday included Saudi envoys, ambassadors representing other nations, Arab and other international diplomats stationed in France, and officials from UNESCO.


AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, speaks to Arab News at the Athar Festival of Creativity.
Updated 05 November 2024
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AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

  • Martin Sorrell: ‘AI speeds up writing processes, increasing efficiency’
  • New tech allows for increasingly personalized content

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is being used more effectively and efficiently to drive higher economic development in the media industry, said Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital.

At a panel session at the Athar Festival of Creativity Sorrell described how media agencies, such as S4 Capital and its subsidiary, Media.Monks, are using AI in a number of ways.

One application of AI in media, he said, is in “speeding the execution of copywriting and visualization.”

Time to market is drastically decreasing: “What took us literally days is now taking us three hours,” he said. Yet this produces another problem because reducing the time of procurement cuts costs, but this also means it is necessary to move to a model that increases gains in outputs,” he said.

Another application is in personalizing content for consumers. Sorrell told Arab News: “Individualization, hyper personalization, are going to become more important. Knowing the consumer in excruciating detail, using data, using the signals from the platforms, using first-party data, it becomes even more important.”

Using Netflix audience feedback algorithms as an example, Sorrell pointed out that AI enables these algorithms to produce larger and more accurate quantities of output, for example, recommendations based on user profile readings.

“We charge on a per asset used basis. Price of the asset may come down, but total revenue grows because we’re using multiple assets,” he said.

A growing area is in “media planning and buying.” Sophisticated algorithms can far more efficiently choose the distribution of planning and buying than individual media planners.

Technological capital and human capital, however, go hand in hand.

“We as agencies have to validate the algorithm’s analysis. We have to make sure that the client’s money is spent in the right way.”

Another benefit of AI is its ability to improve organizational efficiency. Where organizational silos once kept departments and specializations separate, AI opens up information to the majority of users.

To maintain the emotional connection and trust of the brand-consumer relationship in a technologically driven world, according to Sorrell, understanding individual motivation is increasingly crucial.

“Insights into culture, insights into language, into custom, into belief, into family, into country, that knowledge becomes critically important, far more so in a globalized world,” he said.

The diversity and knowledge of global and local organizations are essential for the success of any company, but the value of personalization means that local knowledge may take the lead, he added.

Quoting Harvard Business School professor Ted Levitt, Sorrell continued: “because remember, consumers will consume everything in the same way everywhere.”

Advising young professionals in tech, media and other industries operating in an AI-powered future, Sorrell said that rather than stripping away opportunities from creatives, avoiding the risk of “bombarding” consumers with much of the same, AI means “creativity becomes even more important.”

Additionally, creatives need to familiarize themselves with the skills and roles that are complementary to the new world: “I think every creative should learn Chinese. I think every creative should learn Spanish, probably Arabic too … and they should learn code.”

“The skills of the ‘Mad Men’, that Don Draper had or his colleagues … are very different to what you need now.”


Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

The CEO of the Air Connectivity Program Majid Khan speaks at the Umrah+ Connect event in London on Monday November 4, 2024. (AN
Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

  • Kingdom has attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024

LONDON: Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes from various destinations to the Kingdom this year, increasing tourist seating capacity by nearly 2 million, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program has said.

Speaking at the Umrah+ Connect business-to-business event in London on Monday, Majid Khan said the Kingdom had attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024.

Khan said: “There has been good expansion out of the UK. Virgin Atlantic is going to start daily flights from Heathrow to Riyadh in March; British Airways launched flights to Jeddah yesterday; Wizz Air will also be operating Gatwick to Jeddah flights daily.

“We are definitely focusing on our own carriers as well, because they are definitely our first priority; Flynas, flyadeal, Saudia, and Riyadh Air in the future.

“But we are also proactively working with international carriers in order to help us to get a higher share of inbound tourism to the Kingdom, as they have their sales and marketing channels in this part of the world.

“We know that the majority of BA travelers are not Saudis. They are actually travelers from the UK market, from their network in Europe and North America.”

Saudi Arabia has a strong, strategic location and travelers can reach more than half of the world within a six-hour flight, Khan said. He added that the ACP was working to deliver 150 million tourists to the Kingdom as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

He said: “Saudi Arabia is like one continent. We have 1,700 km of coastline, the new Maldives that’s actually the Red Sea, the two holiest sites for Muslims in the world, and mountainous regions.

“In the south we have Abha and Jazan, which I would personally call the Switzerland of Saudi Arabia. So it’s definitely an untouched wonder.”

An exhibition at the event highlighted new tourism developments in the Kingdom that British pilgrims can enjoy, including religious sites and activities that promote an understanding of Saudi cultural heritage.

Khan said the ACP was trying to revolutionize the way pilgrims travel, allowing them to holiday in the Kingdom after performing their religious rituals.

He said: “If we take the UK market, travelers typically have one Umrah ticket in their pocket to perform the minor pilgrimage with their family and friends. They then come back again to the UK, and have a separate ticket to either Dubai, Istanbul, or Malaga.

“This is something we would like to change. Travelers can perform Umrah, see the sacred places, and then save their tickets and continue to travel around the Kingdom. That’s the way we try to position Saudi Arabia.”

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect, said that Monday’s event had provided an opportunity for Umrah travel agents to network and grow their businesses.

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect (fourth from right), poses with the team from the Pilgrim Experience Program. (Umrah+ Connect)

Mohammed said: “We’ve brought you a diverse experience here in London, and it’s for you to use these tools, through connecting with people, to create packages that enhance and enrich pilgrim experiences.

“We’re also grateful for the support of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, who are here today and have really backed us to put on this show.”


Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

  • Discussions focused on enhancing relations, regional and international developments and issues of common concern

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Gregory Bledjian, head of the Middle East division at the German Foreign Ministry, and several accompanying officials, in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance relations, regional and international developments, and issues of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Shoura Council Speaker Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh received Turkiye’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Emrullah Isler in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.