Pak-Saudi joint parliamentary body to address expats issues

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arab will constitute a joint parliamentary committee for resolving the issues of Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arab and to further strengthen relations between the two brotherly counties.

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saad Al-Maliki called on Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser at Parliament House on Thursday in which bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest came under discussion.

In the meeting with Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser, the ambassador said that both countries had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Dec 2, 2019 during the visit of a parliamentary delegation to Saudi Arab that was not implemented due to COVID-19.

The speaker told the ambassador the joint parliamentary committee would be constituted to address the issues of Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arab and further strengthen bilateral relations under the MoU. He hoped that chief of Saudi Shura Council would soon inform Pakistan about the decision of forming the joint parliamentary committee of both brotherly countries. He said Pakistan was proud of its everlasting friendship with Saudi Arabia. He said the two brotherly countries were tied in bonds of religion, culture and history. He said any attempt of aggression against Saudi Arabia would be considered aggression against Pakistan.

Acknowledging the assistance being extended to Pakistan, the speaker said Saudi Arabia had always been a generous supporter of social development in the country. He said the Muslim Ummah was presently confronted with issues for which solidarity was a need of the hour. He said that growing Islamophobia in the West was also a great challenge for which a joint strategy should be devised to tackle it.

Expressing Pakistan’s desire of having cordial relations with all neighbouring countries, Asad Qaiser said Pakistan believed in resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue. He said Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan were strengthening and would cause development and prosperity in both countries.

The speaker welcomed the recent contact between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

About parliamentary relations between National Assembly and Saudi Shura Council, the speaker said exchange of delegations would play an important role in strengthening relations between the two brotherly countries.

Mentioning vast economic opportunities between two countries, the speaker said that bilateral cooperation in economic sectors would be mutually beneficial. He asked the ambassador to take up the issue of Pak expatriates with his government for according concessions to them, as they were facing immense problems currently due to revision of the labour laws.

He also thanked Saudi government for releasing Pak nationals, jailed in Saudi Arabia, over petty crimes.

The speaker also reiterated his invitations to Chairman Saudi Shura Council and Imam-e-Kaaba to visit Pakistan at their earliest convenience.

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saad Al-Maliki said that his country also attached great importance to its fraternal relations with Pakistan and considers it a sincere friend and brother.

He said the friendship between the two countries was getting stronger with each passing day. He assured the speaker that Saudi Arabia would continue its cooperation in all sectors in Pakistan.

He said that Pakistani expatriates living in Saudi Arabia were playing an important role in the development of Saudi Arabia. He promised that the new labour laws would facilitate Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia.

He assured the speaker that he would convey his invitations to Chairman Saudi Shura Council and Imam-e-Kaaba.