Imam-e-Kaaba Sheikh Saleh Al Humaid in Islamabad on four-day visit

• Sheikh Saleh to lead Friday prayer at  Faisal Mosque.
• He is in Pakistan to strengthen ties between nations.
• Ashrafi says Sheikh Saleh's visit holds importance.

Imam-e-Kaaba Sheikh Saleh Al Humaid, the custodian of Islam's holiest site, landed in the federal capital to further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Apart from meeting the country's senior leadership, Sheikh Saleh — during his four-day Pakistan visit — will also lead the Friday prayer at Islamabad's Faisal Mosque.

Born in the Saudi city of Buraydah, the distinguished dignitary became a Hafiz-e-Quran at age 20. He holds Masters and PhD degrees from Makkah's from Umm Al Qurra University and was appointed an imam in Masjid Al Haram in 1983.

Sheikh Saleh — who is also an advisor to the Kingdom's Royal Court — has previously served as the head of Saudi Arabia's Soura Council and President High Judiciary Commission.

On his arrival, Imam-e-Kaaba was received by caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, caretaker Minister for Education Madad Ali Sindhi, Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al Malki, and several other senior officials.

Expressing his views, Ashrafi, who also serves as SAPM on Religious Harmony, highlighted the "spiritual and diplomatic" significance of Sheikh Saleh's visit.

The PUC chairman also stressed that the visit would also "contribute to the promotion of peace, unity and shared values of the two nations."

Later, Sheikh Saleh during his meeting with the caretaker education minister highlighted that he has been visiting Pakistan for more than 20 years saying, "Now it feels like home".

"The two countries are like brothers and this relationship will always remain like this," he said.

He also stressed the need for collaboration on topics of mutual interest such as medicine, cyber security, climate change, engineering, artificial intelligence, distance learning, and renewable energy.

The distinguished dignitary lauded Sindhi's efforts for bringing the two countries together and praised him for reforming the public education sector of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the minister expressed gratitude to Imam-e-Kaaba for Saudi Arabia's role in addressing the issues faced by the Muslim Ummah.

Sindhi also underscored the need to educate and equip religious leaders while stressing that the Kingdom can help by training Pakistani clerics, madrassah teachers.

Furthermore, the minister also apprised the distinguished dignitary Saudi and Pakistani universities would collaborate to establish a special research centre which would focus on the Seerat un Nabi (PBUH), especially on the issues of politics, social reform and law.

— Additional input from APP