Saudi Arabia always stood by Pakistan in difficult times: Kaira

Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira Wednesday said Saudi Arabia has always helped Pakistan in difficult times and relations between the two brotherly countries are historically very close.

Speaking at he said Pakistan was thankful to the Custodians of the Two Holy Mosques over the generous support for the victims of 2005 earthquake and 2010 and 2011 floods.

The Minister thanked the Saudi Ambassador and the head of Saudi relief organization for wholehearted support and assistance for Pakistanis in distress.He said Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV) has constructed 8000 pre-fabricated houses for the survivors of Balakot, Bagh and Muzaffarabad besides the revival of health and education sectors in Azad Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtoonkhaw. Moreover, projects of 28 schools and basic health units have been completed to provide shelter, health and educational facilities to large number of people living in quake-hit areas, he added.

He also thanked the Saudi government for launch of project for construction of 5000 houses for flood victims and 200 projects supplying clean drinking water in flood affected zones in Sindh and South Punjab.He said Riyadh and Islamabad enjoyed not only good relations at the government-to-government level but people-to-people level as well.He expressed the optimism that relations between two brotherly countries will grow further in days ahead.
Kaira also appreciated Saudi Arabia for its role for promotion of peace across the world.