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KARACHI – In implementation of the directives of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and under direct supervision of Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, who is also Supervisor of Campaign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Relief of Pakistani people, the first cargo plane donated by the campaign arrived at Karachi International Airport on Thursday.
The plane laden with dates and milk was received by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdulaziz Bin Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer and a number officials.
The Saudi leadership, the ambassador said, has been keen on supporting the Pakistani people, and it continues sending various kinds of aid since the start of floods disaster in Pakistan. – SPA

JEDDAH – James Smith, the United States’ Ambassador to the Kingdom, has praised the Saudi people, describing them as loving and friendly.
The ambassador made the comment during an Iftar party hosted recently by the American Consulate in Jeddah. He said he has many Saudi friends in Jeddah and Riyadh despite the short time he has been working in the Kingdom.
He also stressed the historical links between the two countries.
Present at the party were the consul-generals of Gulf, Arab and foreign countries, businessmen, press representatives, and Thomas Daffy, the American consul. – Okaz/SG

ISLAMABAD – A Saudi medical team airplane landed here Tuesday to operate the field hospital which was built in accordance with the directives of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to provide assistance to the flood-hit people.
The team was received by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdulaziz Bin Ibrahim Al-Ghadir, Director General of Emergency and Field Medicine Committee in the Ministry of Health Tariq Al-Arnus and a number of military officials from Saudi Armed Forces’ Medical Service.
Both, Saudi Embassy in Islamabad and Consulate General in Karachi are working round-the-clock to serve the affected and provide them with aid and assistance in accordance with the directives of the Saudi government, the ambassador said. – SPA

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi Arabian Airlines plane carrying members of a medical team arrived here Wednesday to run the two Saudi field hospitals that were set up in Pakistans flood-hit areas.

The medical team members were greeted at the airport by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Alghadeer and Dr. Tarek Al-Arnous, a senior Health Ministry official, and military officers.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Alghadeer said more than 500 Saudis including doctors are currently in Pakistan to assist the countrys flood victims.

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RIYADH – Vienna will host the first Arab-European Young Leaders Forum in November this year, said Dr. Johannes Wimmer, Ambassador of Austria, while addressing as a guest speaker at World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) 8th annual party in Riyadh, Sunday.

About 50 ambassadors, 120 diplomats representing various international embassies based in Riyadh and more than 100 philanthropists and WAMYs donors attended the Iftar party.

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RIYADH: The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), a major Islamic charity of Saudi Arabia, has downsized its operation in the US, Canada and in many other Western countries because of the stringent restrictions imposed by the respective governments on the fundings of Islamic aid organizations.

The WAMY, an UN-recognized NGO, had a “symbolic presence in the US, while it has closed its offices in Canada,” according to Saleh Al-Wohaibi, WAMYs secretary-general. Al-Wohaibi, however, said that the WAMY values its partnership with the US and will continue to work with the community stakeholders in that country.

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13 nails and 5 needles removed from her body

RIYADH/COLOMBO – Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Al-Jammaz, Kingdoms Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, said here Friday the case of the abused Sri Lankan maid is being followed up and the embassy is in touch with officials at the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment to get clarifications.

A report from Colombo said doctors removed 13 nails and five needles from the Sri Lankan maid who says the couple she worked for in Saudi Arabia hammered them into her body.

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RIYADH – The Pakistani community here showed great compassion as they raised SR810,000 in just one night for the flood victims in their country.
About 500 people attended the fund-raising program this weekend at the community hall of the Pakistan Embassy premises. The appeal for the funds came from Ambassador Omar Khan Alisherzai An unprecedented great show of enthusiasm mixed with patriotic compassion was seen amongst the attendees who kept donating generously toward the relief fund, a press release issued here said Friday.
The fund-raising program was ably anchored by Dr. Kazim Niaz – the community welfare attaché – who very eloquently addressed the issue of devastation in the country from the recent floods and emphasized on all Pakistanis to come forward at this trying time and extend whatever help was possible.
Zahoor Hasan Gilani – Community Welfare Attaché – made a presentation on the floods situation in Arabic for the exclusive benefit of Saudi guests who had also joined this the fund-raising drive.
Ambassador Sherzai thanked all Pakistanis who were present on the occasion. According to him the motherland was faced with the calamity of unprecedented scale and nature and it was the paramount duty of all patriotic Pakistanis to do their mite in sharing the burden of the people and the government. He expressed his pleasure at the fact that the Pakistani community in Riyadh – and in Saudi Arabia – had responded very positively to his appeal.
He said he was very happy to see people rising above all their political and other affiliations and coming together for a noble cause of extending help to their fellow countrymen and women who were desperately looking toward them for help.
Ambassador Sherzai thanked all the countries that had come forward at this difficult time and had extended help in cash and kind. He made special mention of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which had proved that it was a true friend of Pakistan and its people. – SG

RIYADH: Pakistani expatriates in Riyadh donated SR810,000 to flood victims at a fund-raising campaign organized by the countrys mission in Riyadh on Thursday.

The Pakistan Embassy organized the event in cooperation with a group of volunteers who were instrumental in making a large gathering of more than 500 philanthropists. One expatriate donated SR50,000 toward the fund. 

Thanking all Pakistanis who were present on the occasion, Pakistan Ambassador Umar Khan Alisherzai told his countrymen that their motherland was faced with the calamity of unprecedented scale and nature and it was the paramount duty of all Pakistanis to do their part in sharing the burden of the people and the government of Pakistan.

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RIYADH: Attache Boscay S. Acraman died of natural causes at age 52 on Tuesday at 9:10 p.m. at Al-Hammadi Hospital, according to a statement issued by the Philippine Embassy.

“Called Bobby by friends, Acraman was diagnosed last year with kidney problems but this did not deter him to perform with exemplary dedication his official duties,” the embassy said.
The embassy added Acraman even refused to go on leave and assume other tasks with minimal responsibilities.
“His compassion to help fellow Filipinos drove him to continue to work even under increasing pressure despite having to undergo dialysis,” the embassy added.
His body was laid to rest on Wednesday in Umm Al Hammam cemetery in Riyadh in accordance with Muslim rites. Ambassador P. Villamor and his wife Rose Mary led the entire embassy staff in bidding farewell to Acraman, who was born Marantao, Lanao del Sur.
A veteran in the Philippine Foreign Service for almost two decades, he had earlier been posted at the Philippine Embassy in Tehran, and Viang Chan (Laos).
He was survived by wife Raihana and five children-two sons and three daughters