800 Pakistani pilgrims duped in travel scam, stranded in Saudi Arabia

October 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani leadership may have been denying Saudi Arabia's role in the country's politics, but it is an open secret that it has been playing an important part in deciding the troubled nation's fate. An editorial in one of leading English dailies of Pakistan pointed out that despite being a 'democratic' country, Pakistani leaders keep on running to a state like Saudi Arabia, an absolute Islamic monarch nation, to resolve issues, which highlights the weakness of the state.

September 29th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan has reportedly swapped two Al-Qaeda members with Saudi Arabia in exchange for five of its citizens who were detained in Riyadh over drug-trafficking charges. According to a private television channel, two sons of top Al-Qaeda leader Al-Alawi, who purportedly plotted a suicide attack on a Saudi Minister, were exchanged in return for five Pakistanis.

September 16th, 2009 RAWALPINDI - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sadiq-ul-Farooq has said Saudi Arabia would not interfere in Pakistan's internal issues. Referring to recent reports regarding Riyadh assuring former President General Pervez Musharraf that he would not be tried under the Article Six of the Constitution, Farooq said Saudi Arabia respects Pakistan's constitution and its laws, thus it would not interfere in such issues.

September 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not receive the same 'red carpet' welcome and the protocol that he used to enjoy earlier, during his recent Saudi Arabia visit. According to sources, Sharif's refusal to tone down his demand for former President General Pervez Musharraf's high treason trial is believed to the prime reason behind Riyadh's luke warm response.

September 10th, 2009 RIYADH - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif arrived here with his family to perform Umra. A private TV channel, while quoting sources, said that Sharif's visit is not political.

September 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif is likely to visit Saudi Arabia next week to meet King Shah Abdullah, sources said. According to sources, Sharif is likely to reach Riyadh on September 11 to hold talks with King Abdullah and Saudi Intelligence chief Shahzada Muqran.

September 2nd, 2009 AHORE - Expressing concern over the political brickbatting between the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the trial of former President General Pervez Musharraf, Saudi Arabia has asked the Pakistani leadership to abide by the agreement on Musharraf's immunity from prosecution, and stop the infighting, saying it could further deteriorate the country's situation. Sources privy to the Saudi Royal family said Saudi King, Abdullah, told Interior Advisor Rehman Malik, that Musharraf's trial and altercations between the PPP and the PML-N could further affect Pakistan's political stability.

September 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who recently visited Saudi Arabia, has categorically denied meeting former President Pervez Musharraf. There were reports that Musharraf was in Saudi Arabia and Malik had met him there.

July 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - While the former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf had said that he would use his 'influence' to ensure that the Pakistani family detained in Saudi Arabia on charges of drug trafficking is released soon, advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik, now, has also jumped into the issue claiming that he had written a letter to the Saudi government following which the family is being released. Talking to a private television channel, Malik said the family will be released soon as the real culprits have been arrested and have confessed their crime.

July 5th, 2009 LAHORE - Former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf has reportedly contacted the concerned authorities in the Saudi Arabia regarding the release of a Pakistani family, which has been detained there on charges of drug trafficking. According to sources, the Saudi authorities told Musharraf that justice would be done to the family and a substantial step in this regard would be taken within the next 48 hours.

June 20th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Cutting across the political divide, Pakistani parliamentarians Saturday urged the government to restore their Haj quota, the Online news agency said. The government Wednesday abolished the Haj quota of all parliamentarians, including the president and the prime minister, in order to "provide equal chance" to every aspirant.

June 17th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan government Wednesday abolished the Haj quota of all parliamentarians, including president and prime minister, in order to "provide equal chance" to every aspirant. Announcing a new Haj policy for 2009, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said the government and private tour operators will equally share the Hajj quota this year.

June 10th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Thirty-three stranded Indian pilgrims returning from Kailash and Mansarovar have been evacuated to Nepalganj on Wednesday. With this, forty-seven pilgrims have been evacuated.

May 4th, 2009 ABOARD A US AIR FORCE PLANE - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he wants Saudi Arabia to help forge a political consensus in Pakistan that it must deal with the threat from the Taliban, al-Qaida and related militant groups.

April 27th, 2009 LONDON - A British air stewardess was sacked for refusing to fly to Saudi Arabia after she was ordered to wear a traditional Islamic robe and walk behind male colleagues. Lisa Ashton, who worked for BMI, was told that she was expected to wear in public in Saudi Arabia the abaya, a long black robe that leaves only the face uncovered.