Saudi-Pak creative minds should work together: Turki

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Minister for Media 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 Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain here.

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 welcomed Saudi keenness to strengthen cooperation in the realm of culture and joint productions of films and dramas. There was huge potential for cooperation in those fields and both the countries needed to take proper advantage of it, he stressed.

He said the visit of his Royal Highness Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz 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.

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 first ever Pakistani film in Saudi cinema, he said movies were one of the vital mediums to promote and project the core values of any society.

Chaudhry Fawad told his Saudi counterpart that the Ministry of Information was also working to establish the media university including two schools of performing arts and technology. “We would like Saudi Arabia to participate in the project of media university,” he added.

The Saudi minister appreciated the proposal and said he would be discussing the same with the Saudi Minister for Education. The Information Minister also sought his Saudi counterpart’s assistance for the broadcasting of PTV programmes in the Kingdom Saudi Arabia.

The Information Minister emphasized 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. Chaudhry Fawad also appreciated the concept of national advertising agency which was being established in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the both sides.