King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has far-reaching political vision that has enabled him to launch several important global initiatives in the interest of all mankind, including the Arab Peace Initiative and the Interfaith dialogue, said Pakistani President Asif Zardari in a statement prior to his official two-day visit to the Kingdom which begins Wednesday. He stressed his country's keen interest in enhancing the strategic Saudi-Pakistani partnership in all of its political, economic and commercial aspects. In a statement to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Zardari said that his visit comes at a very important time in terms of regional political developments which make it necessary for the two countries to work together for a common goal. He said bilateral relations are deeply rooted and are distinguished by the bonds of the Islamic faith and common interests, stressing that the already strong relations will further develop in the future. Added to this is the two countries' determination that peace must not only prevail in the region but in the entire world. Zardari said the Pakistani people have great respect for King Abdullah because of his great interest in the stability of their country, adding that the Kingdom has always supported Pakistan in times of difficulty. He said the Kingdom generously came to the assistance of Pakistan when torrential rains hit the country and displaced hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis from their towns and villages. The Pakistani people will never forget this noble act, Zardari added. He said his talks with King Abdullah will touch on ways of bolstering relations between the two countries as well as on security cooperation, especially in the area of combating terrorism and the latest developments in south Asia. He will also brief Saudi officials on the progress made in the investigation of the assassination of the Saudi diplomat Hassan Al-Qahtani who was shot dead in Karachi in May. President Zardari, who last visited the Kingdom in 2008, is accompanied by a high level delegation including a number of senior ministers. During his visit, he is scheduled to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque. __
