MECCA: King Faisal of Saudi Arabia washed Islam’s holiest shrine, the Kaaba, today [Jan 11] to start the Haj ceremony. In his annual address, the King called for struggle to defend “the holy places, the faith, and the dignity of Islam”.

The King denounced “Zionists, the enemies of the faithful”, for their cruelty to Palestinians and assaults on “the brother countries of Lebanon and Syria”. He accused the Zionists of “disfiguring the holy places of Islam in Palestine, and building synagogues in order to destroy the Islamic character of the holy places.”

The King ... appealed for solidarity throughout the Muslim world to “face up to the intrigues of those who are trying to weaken the Muslims by divisions”.—News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Quetta,] the Baluchistan Assembly has recommended to the Provincial Government to enforce complete ban on manufacture, purchase, sale, possession and use of liquor. A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed in today’s session. A lively debate was held on this resolution which was moved by Deputy Speaker Haji Moulvi Mohammad Shamsuddin of the Jamiatul Ulema-e-Islam.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2023