Saudi Prince meets President, conveys King Abdullah’s full support
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—Prince Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Deputy Interior Minister, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called on President General Pervez Musharraf and conveyed message of Khadimul Harman Sharifain King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz expressing complete solidarity and support by Saudi Arabia and its people to the brotherly country Pakistan on its relief and rescue efforts.
Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz also informed the President about continuous efforts by Saudi government and its public for generous assistance and mobilization at all levels to support people of Pakistan in the quake affected areas.
Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz, who arrived here on Saturday, is accompanied by a high-level delegation to assess future requirements of Pakistan in its relief efforts.
President Pervez Musharraf expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership and its people for its magnanimous and generous support at government and non-governmental level and discussed with the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister the magnitude of physical and monetary loss.
The President also informed Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz about International Donors Conference being held here on November 19 to assess future requirements for rehabilitation and reconstruction process and hoped that Saudi Arabia would continue to be Pakistan’s major ally in reconstruction and rehabilitation initiative.
Prince Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud also visited Muzaffarabad to sympathise with the quake-stricken people, who besides losing precious lives of their near and dear ones also rendered homeless.
Talking to newsmen soon after reaching AJK capital, the Saudi prince said the Saudi Arabia government and people equally shared the pain of Oct 8 quake’s victims in this hour of grief.
He assured that Saudi government would extend its every possible support for rehabilitation of the quake affectees.
The Saudi prince said that the deadly quake played havoc in the region, adding the Saudi government soon after the tragic incident started to extend assistance in terms of finance and goods. He vowed to continue to do so till the rehabilitation of the affectees.
Earlier, when Saudi delegation led by Saudi prince reached Muzaffarabad was received by Azad Kashmir Prime Minister, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, high level civilians and senior armed forces officials.
The delegation was taken to Brigade Headquarter and was briefed about the scale of devastation in the region. They were told that over fifty thousand people were killed and twenty thousand injured whereas, 250,000 rendered shelterless.
The Saudi Prince later, visited CMH Muzaffarabad to inquire after the health of victims and gave them copies of Holy Quran and Aab-e-Zam Zam.