ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has invited Pakistan’s former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to perform Umrah in the kingdom.
According to a private news channel, Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in London on medical grounds since November 2019, will be accompanied by his elder daughter Maryam Nawaz and other family members on a special plane on April 11.
The news channel reported that Nawaz Sharif, who is considered to be closer to the Saudi royal family, will be a royal guest in the kingdom. He is expected to spend the last ten days of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Madina and Makkah. However, the final schedule of his visit has not been announced yet.
It is worth mentioning here that various ministers and parliamentarians have devised plans to perform Umrah during the same period.
The invitation is being seen as a gesture of goodwill by Saudi Arabia towards Pakistan, which has enjoyed close ties with the kingdom for decades. Nawaz Sharif, during his previous stints as prime minister, had visited Saudi Arabia numerous times and had a close relationship with the Saudi royal family.
Nawaz Sharif to hold crucial meetings in Saudi Arabia
This move by the Saudi government is likely to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries, which have been cooperating on various issues, including security and economic matters. The visit is also expected to provide Nawaz Sharif with an opportunity to meet with Saudi officials and discuss matters of mutual interest.
The news of the invitation has been welcomed by Nawaz Sharif’s party members and supporters, who have expressed their gratitude towards the Saudi government for the kind gesture.
The Umrah pilgrimage is a sacred ritual in Islam and is performed by millions of Muslims from around the world every year. It involves visiting the holy cities of Makkah and Madina and performing a set of rituals at various religious sites.
