Newly appointed Consul General Mustafa Rabbani hopeful of stronger PAK-Saudi diplomatic relations

SAUDI ARABIA, Jul 20 (APP): Consul General of Pakistan Syed Mustafa Rabbani on Monday assumed his responsibilities and assured stronger diplomatic Pak-Saudi relations.

He said he would be fulfilling the high expectations of the Pakistani community living in the Western region of Saudi Arabia during his tenure.

He expressed these words in an interview with an APP news representative in the KSA.

He discussed in details with him his diplomatic journey, Pakistan-Saudi relations, community services, and the priorities of the Consulate.

This was his first interview with the Consul General following his assumption of office.

Syed Mustafa Rabbani said his priority after taking charge was to improve key services.

He said that, in total, four major projects were worked on, three of which have been completed, while the fourth project is also in the final stages of completion added that he said, the main objective of these steps was to improve the quality of services, make the system more effective, and provide more convenience to the public. Alhamdulillah, the new consulate building reflects a significant improvement in every respect compared to the old building. However, our real focus is not limited to just a better building, but to establishing effective and modern systems. We want the public to not only feel the change in the building, but also to see a clear difference in the quality of services. We want people not to have to wait for hours. If earlier they had to wait for five or six hours, then our effort is to significantly reduce this time through new systems, better procedures, and effective management, and provide fast, easy, and dignified services to every inquirer.

Replying to a question, he said the greatest blessing I have had during my posting in Jeddah was the honor of visiting the Holy Shrine of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

“I consider myself extremely fortunate that in the first six or seven months of my arrival here, I had the opportunity to perform Umrah, spend Ramadan in Medina, perform Hajj, and perform Nawafil prayers inside the Kaaba. These are the spiritual moments of my life that I will always consider as a special grace and mercy of Allah Almighty and a precious treasure of my life.

Regarding Pak-Saudi Arabia relations, he said both states enjoy good and brotherly diplomatic, historical, religious, and strategic relations. Both countries have stood by each other in every difficult time, and we are determined to further strengthen these relations through trade, investment, culture, and people-to-people contact. He lauded Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman for their Vision 2030 and leadership of the Muslim Ummah.

He elaborated that the Pakistani community in Saudi Arabia is our greatest strength. It is not only playing an important role in the Saudi economy but also highlighting Pakistan’s positive image through its hard work, honesty, and law-abiding nature.

To another question regarding the role did the Consulate played in the release of Pakistani prisoners or detainees in Saudi Arabia, he said that as a result of the continuous efforts of the Consulate during the Hajj season last year, 177 Pakistani prisoners were released through royal pardons, adding that so far 460 Pakistani prisoners have been released through royal pardons.

He said that social workers and journalists can play an important role in building society, and they should continue to serve and provide positive information responsibly to the public, because this is the best way to build national unity and community development.

He emphasized that both the media and the Consulate are partners with each other, so providing accurate and timely information can increase the trust of the community. We always seek positive, professional, and mutually respectful relations with journalists, he added.

Lastly, he appealed to all Pakistanis to respect Saudi laws, promote unity and harmony, and bring glory to Pakistan through their character and hard work. The Consulate always stands by them for all possible cooperation, he maintained.