RIYADH, Jan 22: Veteran Saudi journalist Khaled Al-Maeena, the chief editor of English daily Arab News, was conferred Sitara-i-Imtiaz at a ceremony held at the Embassy of Pakistan here on Wednesday evening.

On behalf of the president and the government of Pakistan, Pakistani Ambassador Admiral (retd) Shahid Karimullah decorated Mr Al-Maeena. The award was announced by the president of Pakistan on August 14 last year for Mr Al-Maeena’s services in fostering Pak-Saudi relations.

Mr Al-Maeena spent the formative parts of his life in Karachi where he studied at the St. Patrick’s College and later graduated from the department of journalism at the University of Karachi.