Saudi Media Minister Turki al Shabanah on Monday said creative minds from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan needed to work together to deliver the true message of Islam to the world. The Saudi minister stated this in a meeting with Information & Broadcasting Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. He said cooperation in the fields of film, drama and culture was imperative to promote contacts among the people and to further reinforce the existing cultural bonds between the two countries. Chaudhry Fawad Hussain welcomed Saudi keenness to strengthen cooperation in the realm of culture and joint productions of films and dramas. “There is huge potential for cooperation in those fields and both the countries need to take proper advantage of it,” he stressed. He said the visit of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman would go a long way not only in solidifying strategic and economic collaboration but would also bolster bilateral fraternal ties in areas mutually beneficial for the people of both countries. “Our long standing bilateral ties are firmly rooted in common religion, conversion of views on various issues and have stood the test of time,” the minister said. Saudi minister says cooperation in the fields of film, drama and culture was imperative to promote contacts among the people and to further reinforce the existing cultural bonds He said the people of Pakistan had deep love and affection for the people and leadership of Saudi Arabia and would like to further fortify the ties in the domains of film, media, information, drama and culture. Appreciating the exhibition of the first ever Pakistani film in Saudi cinema, he said movies were one of the vital mediums to promote and protect the core values of any society. Fawad Hussain told his Saudi counterpart that the Information Ministry was also working to establish a media university including two schools of performing arts and technology. “We would like Saudi Arabia to participate in the project of a media university,” he added. The Saudi minister appreciated the proposal and said he would be discussing the same with the Saudi education minister. The information minister also sought his Saudi counterpart’s assistance for the broadcasting of Pakistan Television programmes in Saudi Arabia. The information minister emphasised the need for strengthening cooperation between state news agencies of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He said exchange of delegations of journalists and write-ups were critically important to promote people-to-people contacts and understanding more about each other’s culture. Fawad also appreciated the concept of national advertising agency which was being established in Saudi Arabia. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. Both the ministers also discussed ways to initiate socio-cultural development in its wake. Published in Daily Times, February 19th 2019.