Saudi ambassador praises Pakistan's anti-terror role
By Muhammad Aslam Piracha
OKARA, Dec 18: Saudi Ambassador Ali S Awadh Asseri praised Pakistan especially its efforts to combat terrorism which he said should continue.
He was talking to reporters at the Mazharabad Farms of Rao Sikandar on Saturday. Ambassadors and high commissioners of 19 other countries were also present on the occasion.
Asseri said there was absolute coordination and cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia regarding the fight against terrorism. "We are facing the same enemy," he said.
Replying to a question, he said Islam had nothing to do with terrorism. Terrorism had no religion. "Why should we allow Islam or any other religion to be used for terrorism," he said.
Replying to another question he said Prince Abdullah had given Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon an opportunity to give a positive reply to the Palestinian issue but he had not given any reply.
Earlier, Rao Sikandar welcomed the diplomats and briefed them on different features of his family farms stretching over 2,000 acres. He said his family was producing bumper cash crops because of progressive farming and the latest machinery, setting new agriculture trends in the country.
The diplomats were accorded a warm welcome on their arrival at the farms. Dressed in colourful costumes, local performers danced to the drum beats.
The visitors also enjoyed seeing kite-flying by youngsters at the rooftop of the defence minister's farmhouse, a kabaddi match between the teams of Okara and Sahiwal, rooster fight, horse dance and cattle parade.
They took a round of the farms on buggies and tongas and appreciated mechanized farming.
The ambassadors and HCs who visited the Mazaharabad farms belonged to Palestine, Egypt, Czech Republic, Japan, Holland, Ukraine, Poland, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, Spain, Canada, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kazakhsatan, Turkey, Kuwait, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The US ambassador and British HC did not turn up because they were not given security clearance. China was represented by its deputy ambassador.
