Daily Times

Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Abdullah has conferred King Abdulaziz Medal on Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for making “significant contributions to the defence cooperation” between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement on Sunday.

Gen Bajwa visited Saudi Arabia on an official tour. During the visit, Gen Bajwa called on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the kingdom’s first deputy prime minister and defence minister, and General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the Saudi Armed Forces, at Jeddah. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, bilateral defence and security cooperation and regional peace and stability were discussed.

Gen Bajwa said Pakistan “values its historical and brotherly relations with the kingdom and acknowledges its unique place in the Islamic world”.

Both sides agreed upon enhancing defence cooperation in the fields of joint training, air defence, counter-terrorism and communication and information domain. “They also agreed to further enhance cordial relations and deep spirit of brotherhood into enduring strategic partnership, being vital players in the region with significant responsibility towards unity of Muslim Ummah,” ISPR said. Separately, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that Prince Mohammed conferred Gen Bajwa with the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class for his “distinguished efforts in consolidating and strengthening bonds of friendship and joint cooperation and developing Saudi-Pakistani relations”.

Gen Bajwa was received by Prince Mohammed, with whom a meeting was held on a host of issues, the SPA report said. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the military fields, and opportunities for developing them. The two sides also deliberated upon a number of issues of common interest.

“In implementation of the order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, HRH the Crown Prince decorated the Commander of the Pakistani Army with King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class in recognition of his distinguished efforts in consolidating and strengthening bonds of friendship and joint cooperation and developing Saudi-Pakistani relations,” the SPA said.

Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, and a number of senior officials from both sides were also present on the occasion. Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the army chief for receiving the honour.

“Heartiest congratulations to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on conferment of King Abdulaziz Medal for his contributions to strengthening defence ties between our two brotherly countries. It is a great honour for the people and the armed forces of Pakistan,” he said in a tweet. He followed up his tweet with another one, in which he said Pakistan considers the security of Saudi Arabia “as our own and are completely resolved to further cementing our multifaceted bilateral relationship including excellent defence cooperation”.