ISLAMABAD, Nov 9 (APP): Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Wednesday clarified that neither Saudi Arabia nor Islamic world had ever interfered in Pakistan’s internal and external affairs.
He, in an exclusive talk with APP, said there were certain elements who wanted to sabotage Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan to meet their ulterior motives.
He said: “Such a group gets activated whenever an important visit takes place in the country to create hurdles in the process of development and prosperity.”
He, brushing aside the speculation about Saudi Arabia’s interference on the appointment of a particular position, termed it baseless and concocted as it was an attempt to create rift in the Pak-Saudi’s diplomatic and fraternal ties.
He said the crown prince’s visit to Pakistan was a living example of improved ties between the two brotherly countries and it would help uplift the crippling economy of the country.
Ashrafi expressed the hope that if internal conditions of Pakistan were stable, an investment of 25 to 30 billion dollars could be expected in the country in a couple of years. “Steps are being expedited once again for the financial support of Pakistan by the Saudi leadership. However, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain are all ready to cooperate with Pakistan on the matter,” he added.
He said the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) and the 2022 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP27) would help Pakistan to deal with climate change challenges effectively and efficiently.
He explained that the MGI signified the Saudi Arabia’s commitment to international sustainability efforts and enabled the region to help protect the planet by clearly defining an ambitious road map that significantly contributed to achieving global targets.
“Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has emerged as a great and visionary leader not only for the Muslim Ummah but also for the entire world,” he added.
He said under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and with support of the government of Egypt, the World Conference on Environment had determined an effective and positive direction at the global level in general and in the Islamic world in particular.
He said Pakistan, besides assuring full cooperation, had already welcomed the Saudi Crown Prince’s vision of Saudi and Middle East Green Initiative.
Ashrafi who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council said religious leaders were constantly creating awareness on interfaith dialogue and climatic issues at the global level.
He said the conferences convened by Dar Al-Ifta Egypt and Bahrain Islamic Council raised an effective voice on the eradication of poverty and ignorance and thoroughly discussed the ways to create peace and tranquility in the comity of nations.
The leadership of all religions appealed to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine as the world was facing problems due to the wars, he said adding, “we have to promote peace and discourage wars”.
He further added that the fifth ‘International Conference on Message of Islam, Pak-Saudi and Islamic World Relations’ was being held on November 16, here in the federal capital in which the most important leaders of the Muslim Ummah would participate as keynote speaker.
