Pakistan

Army chief Gen Asim Munir offers prayers inside Holy Kaaba

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, visited Makkah to perform Umrah where the doors of the Holy Kaaba were opened for him, The News reported Monday.

In a video posted on Instagram, Gen Munir could be seen walking out of the Holy Kaaba with some other people. The army chief wore a black jacket and pants.

It was reported that the doors of the Holy Kaaba were opened for the top general in a display of extraordinary hospitality, local media reported. Gen Munir, who is a Hafiz-e-Quran, offered prayers inside Kaaba.

Another clip shows the army chief visiting Masjid-e-Nabawi (SAW), the second holiest mosque in Islam, with Saudi security personnel escorting him.

The newly-appointed army chief is on an official visit to the Kingdom and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 4-10.

This is Gen Munir’s first official trip outside of Pakistan ever since he took charge as the army chief.

Gen Munir meets crown prince

Earlier today, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that Gen Munir met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and discussed bilateral relations between the brotherly nations.

The SPA shared pictures of the crown prince’s reception for the army chief at his “winter camp” in the Saudi city of AlUla.

According to the SPA, the army chief and the Saudi crown prince reviewed bilateral relations and opportunities, in addition to a number of issues of common interest.

The state news agency reported that the reception was also attended by Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and National Security Adviser Dr Musaed bin Muhammad al Aiban.

On January 5, COAS Gen Munir met with Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh where the two discussed matters of mutual interest.

At the outset of the meeting, the Saudi minister congratulated Gen Munir on his appointment as the new army chief.

“During the meeting, they emphasised the strength and durability of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries, and discussed military and defence cooperation, and ways to support and enhance them, in addition to discussing the most important regional and international issues of common interest,” the SPA said.

Later, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid Bin Salman also shared his picture with the visiting Pakistan army chief.

“We emphasised the strategic partnership between our brotherly countries, reviewed the bilateral military and defence relations, and discussed ways of strengthening our cooperation,” he tweeted.

Latest News

SCO Summit Preparations: Interior Minister Examines SCO Summit Arrangements

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The preparations for the Shanghai Corporation Organization Summit, which will take place in Islamabad next week, were reviewed by Federal Minister of the Interior Mohsin Naqvi during his tour of the Federal Capital.

D-Chowk, Constitution Avenue, Murree Road, and the Islamabad Expressway were all thoroughly inspected by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

The Minister gave the authorities instructions regarding the optimal setup for the next summit after reviewing the refurbishment and cleaning plans for the SCO Summit.

The minister stated that while ensuring that all of Islamabad is clean, particularly the VVIP routes and the red area, the construction and restoration projects should be finished as quickly as feasible.

Mohsin Naqvi stated that the SCO Summit will showcase Islamabad’s natural beauty on this particular occasion.

Latest News

Elahi Bakhsh Soomro Dies; Karachi Will Hold Funeral Prayer Today

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

After a lengthy illness, Elahi Bakhsh Soomro, the former Speaker of the National Assembly, passed away. At ninety-eight years old.

Today at 1:00 PM in Karachi, there will be a funeral prayer for him.

In the Jacobabad District of Sindh, Soomro was born in 1926. He was a member of the Shikarpur-based Soomro family, who for a long time dominated Sindh. He was the brother of Ahmad Mian Soomro and the son of Maula Bakhsh Soomro. His degree is in engineering.

The federal minister is now Elahi Bakhsh Soomro. In 1985, he was elected without opposition to the national legislature.

He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Pakistan Muslim League in the 1990 and 1997 elections. Additionally, he was repeatedly elected to the Senate at various points in time.

Latest News

SIFC Supports Shanxi Coal Initiative: China to Finance Coal-to-Chemicals Project in Pakistan

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The Shanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group of China intends to invest in technologies for the production of chemicals derived from coal reserves in Sindh, Pakistan. This project, supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), seeks to improve collaboration between Pakistan and China in energy and industrial advancement.

Shanxi Coal and Chemical, one of China’s major state-owned firms, has made substantial investments in the coal and energy sectors. This project illustrates the increasing cooperation between the two nations.

Pakistan aims to fulfill its energy requirements by augmenting coal-fired production, thereby lowering electricity generation expenses. Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik stated that “Pakistan possesses extensive coal reserves, and this initiative demonstrates our dedication to the effective utilization of our natural resources.”

Pakistan now extracts roughly 7.6 million tons of coal annually from the Thar region, with intentions to augment this to 11 million tons within three years. The efficient utilization of these resources can stabilize the nation’s economy.