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Saudia Arabia Assures Pakistan of "Unlimited" Quake Aid

Posted on: Wednesday, 9 November 2005, 09:00 CST

Text of report by Pakistani newspaper Dawn website on 9 November

Islamabad, 8 November: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday [8 November] assured Pakistan of unlimited help for rehabilitation of quake- devastated areas in Azad Kashmir [Pakistan-administered Kashmir] and the NWFP [North West Frontier Province]. "We will provide...whatsoever is required by the government of Pakistan in the rehabilitation process," Saudi Vice-Minister for Interior Prince Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz told a news conference at the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) headquarters here.

Prince Ahmad, who is younger brother of King Abdullah, had taken an aerial view of the devastated areas during his three-visit to Pakistan to assess the magnitude of damage and requirement for rehabilitation.

In reply to a question, he said Saudi Arabia condemned terrorism. "Islam is a religion of peace and it rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

The vice-minister said he had conveyed to President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz the Saudi king's message of solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan and offered all out assistance for rehabilitation.

He urged the Muslim world to provide maximum help to the people of Pakistan and said rich countries should come forward to contribute their due share in the rehabilitation process. Prince Ahmad was informed about the functioning of Nadra, manufacturing of computerised national identity cards, introduction of machine readable passport, and Nadra's database being used in relief operation and rehabilitation process.

Earlier, Prince Ahmad visited the interior ministry where Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao gave him a briefing on terrorism, steps to curb human trafficking and drug smuggling and relief operations.

Answering a question, Mr Sherpao said Saudi Arabia had become one of the major donors by providing aid worth over 1bn riyals to Pakistan. He said the government and people of Pakistan appreciated the gesture of Saudi prince and members of his delegation who had visited the quake-ruined areas.

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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