ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday congratulated Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia, on receiving Nishan-i-Pakistan Award, the country’s highest civil award, for his invaluable contribution to further strengthening Pakistan-Saudi Arabia fraternal ties.

The Saudi defence minister was the guest of honour at the Pakistan Day Parade on Saturday.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday conferred Nishan-i-Pakistan award on Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in recognition of his meritorious services for promoting bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, especially in the sphere of defence.

“I am delightful to meet my dear brother Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia, who was Guest of Honour at the Pakistan Day Parade,” the prime minister posted on his X account.

“Congratulated him on receiving the country’s highest civil award ‘Nishan-i-Pakistan’ for his invaluable contribution to further strengthening Pak-SA fraternal ties,” he added.

PM’s message on World Tuberculosis Day

Meanwhile, the prime minister, in a message on the occasion of the World Tuberculosis Day which was observed on March 24, Sunday, said that providing universal access to top-quality essential health services was the constitutional responsibility of his government, which recognised the importance of addressing Tuberculosis (TB) as a public health priority.

He said his government has implemented various programmes and policies to combat TB.

“On this World TB Day 2024, I applaud the services of everyone committed to the fight against tuberculosis and reiterate our government’s resolve towards supporting the initiatives aimed at eradicating TB and improving the health and well-being of our citizens,” a press release of the PM Office’s Media Wing quoted the prime minister as saying.

He said TB remained a significant global health challenge, causing immense suffering and claiming far too many lives every year. “It is crucial that we prioritise TB elimination in our global health agenda and allocate resources accordingly. Together, we can harness innovation, research and technology to accelerate progress towards a TB-free world,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2024