KHAIRPUR: Prime Minister Z.A. Bhutto today [Jan 28] invited Bangladesh to attend the Islamic Summit Conference in Lahore next month without any precondition in the larger interest and solidarity of the Muslim world. Speaking at … Khairpur Stadium, the Prime Minister said the Conference was a historic occasion for the Muslims all over the world, and Muslim leaders from Morocco to Indonesia will be attending. … Mr Bhutto said it was not wise for Bangladesh to put any preconditions for attending. … If you do not want to meet your Pakistani brethren, you can meet Heads of States as you represent seven crore Muslims of Muslim Bengal, the prime minister said. — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by our staff reporter,] Al-Jazeera Bank — a joint Pakistan-Saudi enterprise — will now start operating during March this year following delay in the issue of a Royal Saudi decree, necessary for the formal launching of the bank. … Pakistan will own 40 per cent of the shares … while Saudi Arabia will control 60 per cent holdings. … Out of the 10 directors of the bank, 4 will be nominated by the National Bank of Pakistan, while 6 will be appointed by the Saudi Government.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2024