Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agree to enhance cooperation in aviation industry

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki calls on Pakistan’s Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan in Islamabad on June 25, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Aviation Division of Pakistan)

• The aviation minister emphasizes strengthening of ties between the two brotherly countries
• The meeting also focused on the situation arising from the global pandemic

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Saudi Ambassador to Islamabad Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki agreed to increase collaboration between the aviation industries of the two countries to provide better services to people, the aviation ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Ambassador Al-Malki met with the minister at his office in the National Assembly building in Islamabad.
“Ghulam Sarwar Khan emphasized the necessity of strengthening brotherly ties between the two countries,” the statement read.
The minister told the ambassador that the Pakistan government had assured the employees of its national flag carrier, PIA, that they would not be downsized due to the situation arising from the spread of the coronavirus.
Al-Malki pointed out that the kingdom had also not laid off any employee of its aviation industry in the wake of the pandemic.
During the meeting, the Saudi envoy told the minister that the kingdom had decided to limit the number of Hajj pilgrims due to the virus outbreak.
“The government of KSA has allocated a special quota of around 500-600 to the children of shuhada (martyrs) of the Army of KSA, medical professionals who have served to fight COVID-19, and military personnel who have been injured while performing their official duty,” the statement read.
According to the official handout, Al-Malki said the remaining number of pilgrims would include foreigners who were already working in their respective embassies in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi authorities on Monday said this year’s Hajj would be limited to 1,000 people to safeguard public health as part of the anti-virus measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, a deadly respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
Pakistan and other Muslim countries welcomed the kingdom’s decision, saying it was in line with the principles of Shariah.
The Pakistani minister acknowledged the effective measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“He [the aviation minister] expressed his desire to further enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, especially with respect to the aviation industry, in the strenuous COVID-19 circumstances,” the statement said.