ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ijaz on Monday said that the ambassador of Saudi Arabia has taken personal interest in the renovation of the Shah Faisal Mosque and decided to start the renovation of the mosque.

Ejaz said that during a visit to Shah Faisal Mosque along with Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al Maliki.

“40 years ago, the government of Saudi Arabia gave the gift of Shah Faisal Mosque to Pakistanis. Now the mosque would be renovated to make it more beautiful,” said the minister. Secretary Ministry of Interior Aftab Akbar Durrani, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials were also present on the occasion.

The minister along with the Saudi Ambassador offered Zuhr prayer and later visited the main hall and spacious courtyard of the mosque.

He said that during a meeting with the Saudi ambassador, he informed him that the mosque needed to be renovated. “We are grateful to the Saudi Ambassador who took personal interest and decided to renovate the Shah Faisal Mosque, which will begin soon,” the minister said.

Nawaf Saeed Al Maliki said that the Shah Faisal Mosque was given as a gift to Pakistanis by the Saudi government. Now the renovation work of this mosque would be started soon, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024