Pakistan

Desecration of Holy Quran: Saudi Arabia urges restraint

Special emissary of Prince Bandar calls on Zardari; discusses ways to curb rising incidence of religious intolerance.

Irfan Ghauri/qaiser Butt March 26, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

A special emissary of the Saudi monarch, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday and discussed ways and means to curb the rising incidence of religious intolerance and disharmony.

The two leaders are said to discuss the desecration of the Holy Quran in the United States.

Secretary-General to the President Salman Faruqui and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir also attended the meeting.

Prince Bandar, who is the former secretary-general of the Saudi National Security Council and a former envoy of his country to Washington, is on a short visit to Pakistan.

Terming the visit significant, sources said: “He has come as a special emissary of King Abdullah.”

The prince is scheduled to meet Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani today before returning home in the afternoon.

The sources said the visit by the son of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz is of great importance in the backdrop of the political disturbance in Bahrain.

The possibility of the prince asking Pakistan for “meaningful help to meet challenges in its neighbourhood cannot be ruled out,” the sources said.

According to data obtained by The Express Tribune, there are 60,000 Pakistanis, mainly ex-servicemen, serving in that country’s defence and other security establishments.

A former diplomat told The Express Tribune that the Saudi rulers ‘are perturbed over the alarming situation in Bahrain’, which prompted them to send 1,000 of their troops to Bahrain to ‘assist the local security forces’ battling the insurgents.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (21)

Waqar | 13 years ago | Reply @SMART51: Thankyou for your reply. I mention holy sites and relics in Saudi Arabia and the precincts of the Haraam is but one example. I can show you images buildings around the Kaabah that predates the ones you have shown, which show that there was no building higher than the ones that are built today and were in conformity of the Meccan landscape and demographics.. As for your statement that 'none of the holy areas were touched', this is refuted and contradicted by experts who are prominent in the fields of Islamic heritage such as the one I quoted, Dr Sami Angawi, which is why they have secretly photographed, documented and archived these locations, knowing full well that there will be doubters that such sites ever existed. I recommend you read the research papers and lectures given by the respected Irfan Al Alawi, the founder and former Executive director the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. He is the scion of a prominent Hadhrami family descending from the prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him), who has lived in Mecca for years. The world renowned 40 year old Islamic historian on the Holy cities Makkah & Madina has a significant amount academic and historical documentation to his credit. "The excuse given by the Saudi government is that there's not enough accommodation, but do you really need to be so close to the Grand Mosque and the House of Allah? ZamZam has facilities that are irrelevant. You don't need a shopping centre and restaurants when you're doing hajj. Marble flooring and five-star accommodation will not enhance your pilgrimage or make you a better Muslim. The idea that you can make a profit is especially offensive. Such desecration and disrespect would have been unthinkable 30 years ago". Irfan Al Alawi. You mention that a 'few houses were bought and replaced by more praying areas', true, but the majority were sold to conglomerate real estate developers (Bin Laden Group) and hotel chains or were converted into timeshare developments rented out at such exhorbient prices that only the elite could afford such luxury. Luxury timeshares on offer at Islam's holiest pilgrimage site. No doubt expansion projects that do not directly compromise or desecrate historical or holy sites are to be lauded, especially if they truly benefit the pilgrims such as the expansion of the airport of Jeddah and the building of the inter-rail service that links the two holy cities. Thankyou for expressing your desire for me to perform pilgrimage with my mother in future, Inshallah. That is a kind gesture. Moderator - I have removed the video and other links that I posted before.

Abraham | 13 years ago | Reply Truly the Saudi's have had little care and consideration for what was once a sacred place to all of the Books. Mecca and Medinah have been paved and built over by the Saudi bin Laden construction conglomerate- builders to the al Saud. The latest and most subservient to the al Saud has been Bakr bin Laden. I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia maintaing the personl 747 of the then crippled King Fahd the waste and extravagance overwhelmed me and this graft and corruption continues to this day. The pseudo kingdoms of the region are fearing the impending Jihad which will cleanse those places of the utter greed encouraged but the western powers. "Our oil under their sand" Dick Chaney

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Dr Zulfiqar | 13 years ago | Reply To me, Saudi want a nuclear bomb from Pakistan, which they cannot get, from anywhere else in the world? Prince's visit is in relation to this only.

Ajay | 13 years ago | Reply @Anonymous: I agree. The title line "A special emissary of the Saudi monarch, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday and discussed ways and means to curb the rising incidence of religious intolerance and disharmony" didn't get to the main areas of intolerance- It is intolernce of other religions and denial of minority rights and freedon of speech within Pakistan & Suadi Arabia USA is teh bastion of peace and hramony. What you see is one or two odd isolated incidents and that too triggered by the intolerant goings-on in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is more concerned about Quran burning than Saudi Arabia! Wonder why? Better still, Saudis asking Pakis to Chill....Ha ha ha! Pakis obsession with Islam knows no bounds. Losers, first get your own religion and then raise objection!

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @Waqar: This are old pictures of Kaabah http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2976858770058819444DFRbEv http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1181626721058819444casUkp http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1181958443058819444qadvhF Now http://www.sacredsites.com/middleeast/saudiarabia/images/great-mosque-500.jpg The future http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3155/alharamexpansionir7.jpg

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @Waqar: You can not have it both ways. If you look at the pictures of Mecca at the beginning of the 20th century you will find the Holy Kaaba surrounded by a very small square a shops. At that time people going to Hajj did not exceed a couple of thousands. Now they number over 3 million. The choice was either to limit the numbers to few thousand every year or expand the area. What will be your choice? I can assure you that none of the holy areas were touched, few houses were bought and replaced by more praying areas. All the work has been done with one thing in mind and that is the wellfare of Muslims coming to perform Hajj and Omrah. I pray to God that this year you will have the honor of performing Hajj and see yourself the great effort that the kingdom put so you and the other millions can perform the Hajj safely. Then you can respond honestly. God bless.

Waqar | 13 years ago | Reply @SMART51: A couple of years ago, I had the intention of visiting the the two Holy Sanctuaries with my mother, but it was not meant to be at the time 'as they say.' Inshallah. As for your statement quote vis-a-vis, 'Hypocrisy is when you write something you know nothing about'... this is incorrect as the term 'Hypocrisy' has a definition entirely different to the one you have stated and furthermore, I do know what I am talking about having researched the papers of Dr Sami Angawi, a senior researcher in the artefacts of Mecca and Madinah and a former Director of Pilgrimage Research and others. Ali al-Ahmed, the head of the organisation, formerly known as the Saudi Institute, said: "The destruction of Islamic landmarks in Hijaz is the largest in history, and worse than the desecration of the Koran." The destruction of Mecca - The Independent (6 years ago) The Saudis have been instrumental in the destruction of over 95 percent of Islamic heritage sites in Saudia Arabia and elsewhere, i.e. the desecration of graves, cemeteries, mosques, companion’s homes, artifacts etc… Shopping malls, hotels, parking lots and even toilets have been built over these blessed places all under the pretext of providing better amenities/facilities for Pilgrims and of preserving a particular brand of school of thought. Much of the commercial projects to a greater degree have profitability aspirations and motivations for their developers and materialistic tendencies for the Pilgrims. Many of the new hotels within the confines of the Holy Sanctuaries offer rates that are beyond the middle average pilgrim's means. One of my friend's is a leading Hajj Tour Operator in my city and the packages that are touted in the brochures are akin to visiting Disney Land, offering every luxury facility to the traveller. ABRAJ AL BAIT TOWERS - The tallest and biggest hotel in the world which has encroached upon the most important Islamic heritage sites in Mecca. What kind of ease will it provide for the average Pilgrim? Do you know how much money was spent on this development for the comfort of a small elite minority of Pilgrims from amongst millions? Destruction of Islamic Architectural Heritage in Saudi Arabia Mecca Conference Criticized for Hypocrisy on Holy Site Destruction

From Riyadh with love | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam Alaikum Prince Banadr Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud is on special security tour to meet close Allies of Saudi Arabia, China and Pakistan. End.

John | 13 years ago | Reply @SMART51: Who are closer: US-Saudi or Saudi-PAK? Sometimes two voices are better than one.

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @Waqar: Hypocrisy is when you write something you know nothing about. If you consider the work done in Mecca and Madinah and the millions spent so millions of Muslims can perform Hajj and Omrah in ease and all the facilities provided to them as desecration, lets hear your suggestions. BTW when was the last time you visited those two holy cities?

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @John: Prince Bandar represent the King of Saudi Arabia not the USA. I am sure the Americans have there own envoys. @Critical Observor: Ok critical observer, what do you think they are discussing. Of course they are discussing mutual interests between the two countries.

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @Gangly Khan: Prince Bandar Bin Sultan is not the crown prince, please read the article again.

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply @Waqar: Hypocrisy? Have you visited the Kingdom? Did you visit Mecca and Madinah? Have you seen all the improvement that was done there to allow millions of Muslims to perform Hajj and Omrah? If you did not then who is the Hypocrit? And if this in your eyes is desecration lets see you come with better ideas.

SMART51 | 13 years ago | Reply It seems you do not like to be corrected. Prince Bandar is the secretary-general of the Saudi National Security Council and not the former. Mr. Waqar, What desecration are you talking about? The Kingdom is spending billions to make it easier for Muslims to come and perform Hajj or Omrah in ease. If this is not to your liking then do not come, but stop spreading lies.

Waqar | 13 years ago | Reply And what about the desecration of holy sites and relics in Saudi Arabia by the Saudis themselves? What utter hypocrisy!

John | 13 years ago | Reply @Gangly Khan: You are correct in reading this except not US instructions but US concerns. "the possibility of Prince asking Pakistan for "Meaningful" help to meet the challenges of its neighborhood cannot be ruled out" The title is for the local news. He meets the army chief next. "361 US persona non granta , US congress delegation in town to thank for RD release, and Prince visits as a special envoy of the king and meets the president and army chief!". They are not here to simply say Thank You.

Gangly Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Sir Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is visiting Pakistan at the instance of US and conveying instructions US instructions to Pakistan for implementation.

Critical Observor | 13 years ago | Reply Clearly a cover for some other purpose that he is in Pakistan. Meeting Zardari and then Kayani... obviously the Saudi is out on some political mission relating Pakistan's government.

Anonymous | 13 years ago | Reply Both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are at forefront in desecration of the Holy Qur'an.

Syed Rashid Husain | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Sir, Just one correction! To the best of my understanding, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz is not the former seceretary general of the Saudi National Security Council. He still holds the position and despite, some rumours, no announcement to the contrary has been made by Riyadh in this connection. Please correct your data base. Kind regards, Syed Rashid Husain Correspondent daily DAWN in Saudi Arabia Free Lancer BBC Urdu

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