Saudi Arabia has launched the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Iftar and Dates Distribution Program in Pakistan for the month of Ramadan, the Pakistani religious affairs ministry said on Monday, with the program aiming to support tens of thousands of deserving people. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month. The Islamic lunar month will begin in March. This is followed by the sighting of the new moon and is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, a religious holiday and celebration that is observed by Muslims across the world. The iftar and date distribution program was inaugurated by the Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki. “The aim of this program is to care for poor and needy families, widows, and orphans, to provide them with opportunities for joy and happiness, to meet their needs, and to effectively assist in alleviating the hardships of impoverished and extremely needy families by providing essential food items,” the Saudi ambassador was quoted as saying by the Pakistani ministry. “Under this program, which symbolizes friendship and brotherhood from the Saudi government and people, 20 tons of dates will be distributed to 40,000 deserving individuals, while 30,000 individuals will benefit from the Iftar program.” The program for fasting individuals and the distribution of dates is part of the initiatives directed by King Salman for implementation in Pakistan and several other countries, according to the Saudi ambassador. It will be held throughout the month of Ramadan in all provinces of Pakistan. On the occasion, Religious Affairs Minister Hussain thanked the Kingdom for its continuous assistance to those in need in Pakistan. “These gifts symbolize the bond of brotherhood and goodwill between the people of Saudi Arabia, its government, its wise leadership, and the people of Pakistan,” he said. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and brotherly relations. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates, serving as the top destination for remittances for the cash-strapped South Asian country. Last week, Saudi Arabia gifted Pakistan 100 tons of dates ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. The consignment was handed over by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Maliki along with Abdullah Al-Baqami, director of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Center (KSrelief) at a ceremony held at the Saudi embassy in Islamabad.