Honorable Chairman Majlis-as-Shura

Fellow Parliamentarians and distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I feel deeply honored to have the opportunity of addressing this

Majlis-as-Shura on this sacred land of Saudi Arabia, to which Pakistan is
tied through eternal bonds of religion, brotherhood, history and culture.
Since the creation of Pakistan, both countries have enjoyed fraternal
relations. Saudi Arabia has always been with Pakistan during hard times. It
is among the first countries to accept Pakistan as a separate country in
1947, and soon afterwards, Saudi Arabia provided immense support during
the wars of 1965 and 1971 between Pakistan and India.
Generous aid to the people of Pakistan during difficult times has been
an invaluable help by Saudi Arabia. When a devastating earthquake,
measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, hit the northern part of Pakistan on the
morning of 8th October, 2005, thousands of people died and many got
seriously injured. In such circumstances, Saudi Arabia assisted Pakistan by
forming a Saudi based relief organization in Riyadh to ensure the best
utilization of Saudi public donations. While in Pakistan, under the directive
of King Abdullah, a relief organization was formulated to work in all
provinces of Pakistan to help mitigate the sufferings of 2010's tragic Floods
affectees

Ladies and Gentlemen!!

Pakistan and Saudi military cooperation also has a long history which
dates back to 1960, when Pakistan Army and Air-force began extended
training missions to Arab countries in the 1960s. Pakistan Air Force
personnel engaged in combat missions in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Pakistani pilots also participated in Royal Saudi Air Force missions against
Soviet-backed South Yemen in 1969. The 1980s were the high water-mark
of Saudi-Pakistan security cooperation.
The Saudi Leaders have always supported Pakistans agenda over
Kashmir issue with India. In April 1966 when King Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz
visited Karachi, in his speech regarding Kashmir issue he expressed his
view point in the following words:
If we have shown brotherly feelings and cooperation for this Islamic
country, it is because this is the least of what our religion and belief
demand from us
When Pakistan was sanctioned by various countries like US, UK,
Japan, after it did nuclear blasts in 1998, it was again the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia who supported Pakistan economically and morally at that time. In
return Pakistan provided them with military support and military trainings at
different point of times. Pakistan also assisted Saudi Arabia during the Iraq
war in 1990 -91 when upon Saudi Arabias request Pakistan army was sent
to safeguard the sacred cities of Makkah and Madina.

Ladies and Gentlemen!!

To further enhance and strengthen the existing fraternal relations
between the two countries in all fields of mutual interest, Pak Saudi joint
ministerial commission was established in May 1974. Ever since its
creation its meetings have been held alternately in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, High-level visits from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflect the
great depth and warmth of bilateral relations. Saudi Shura is also keen to
enhance its cooperation with the National Assembly of Pakistan and in this
connection Saudi-Pak Friendship Group has been established in Saudi
Shura and a similar Parliamentary Friendship Group has been formed in
the National Assembly of Pakistan. We hope that the frequency of bilateral
visits between both countries will increase in future.
Ladies and Gentlemen!!
Pakistan has played an important role in the development of Saudi
Arabias Educational sector. More than 1.5 million Pakistanis are working in
Saudi Arabia. Pakistani academicians are performing a great service in all
the renowned universities of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) became the largest export market of the Pakistani workers around
the world. Pakistan is confident that this bridge will continue to expand and
strengthen in future.

Honorable Chairman
By availing this opportunity, I want to extend full cooperation of the
Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) and the Women
Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) to the Saudi Shura on the behalf of the
National Assembly of Pakistan. This will further strengthen parliamentary
relationship between both countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am confident that this Meeting will give us an opportunity to start a
new era of friendly Relationship between the two brotherly countries and
this would further broaden and deepen the existing cordial bilateral political,
economic, defense and cultural ties.
I once again thank you all for providing me the opportunity to express my
views.