by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Riyadh : Saudi investigators have recovered assets worth more than $106 billion (SR400 billion) in an anti-corruption crackdown ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the royal court said on Wednesday.
The funds are in the form of property, companies, cash and other assets surrendered by senior princes, ministers and top businessmen who were under investigation.
In the anti-corruption campaign launched in November 2017, many of the Kingdom’s economic and political elite were detained in Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel for nearly three months.
The government summoned 381 people, although some appeared only as witnesses to give evidence.
A comprehensive review was conducted of the case against each of those detained, under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor, and each was presented with the allegations against them.
Settlements were reached with 87 people who confessed to the charges against them, the royal court said. The public prosecutor refused to settle the cases of 56 people because of existing criminal charges against them. Eight people refused to reach a settlement, and have been referred to public prosecution for further action under the law.
Everyone who was detained but not indicted on charges related to corruption has been released, the court said. The anti-corruption committee set up by the crown prince submitted its report to King Salman on Wednesday. It said it had now completed its work, and asked for the king’s permission to cease operations.
The king agreed, and thanked the committee and the crown prince for their efforts. King Salman pledged that the Kingdom would “continue its efforts to preserve integrity, combat corruption, and empower law enforcement and other relevant state bodies so that they are able to effectively practice their role in preserving public funds.”
—AG/UNA-OIC
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Al-Jouf : Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman inaugurated 242 development projects in the Al-Jouf Region on Tuesday, at a total cost of nearly SR10 billion (about $2.7 billion).
The projects, covered by the visual presentation during the celebrations of the people of Al-Jouf of King Salman’s visit, include 21 projects for the Ministry of Health; 77 projects for the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs; 15 projects for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture; 11 projects for the Ministry of Housing, 82 projects for the Ministry of Education. They also included a number of energy, industry and mineral wealth projects, as well as the first phase of King Salman Renewable Energy Initiative, Dumat Al-Jandal Wind Power Project and the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) projects.
At the end of the celebrations, Kings Salman honored the outstanding people of Al-Jouf region, namely Abdulrahman Al Sudairy Foundation, which strives to publish studies and literary creations and to support research and scientific messages, and student Gala bint Abdullah Al-Khalaf Al-Shaal, holder of the title of the Youngest Ambassador of the 10KSA Initiative for Breast Cancer Fighters, and the title of Ambassador of the Fifth Conference of Disability and Rehabilitation 2018.
—AB/UNA-OIC
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
King Salman has assured Salah Khashoggi that those involved in the murder would be brought to justice
Washington : The sons of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi issued an emotional appeal for the return of their father’s body, in their first interview since he was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October.
Salah and Abdullah Khashoggi, who called their father “courageous, generous and very brave”, told CNN on Sunday night they endured weeks of anguish and uncertainty following his disappearance and death.
“I really hope that whatever happened wasn’t painful for him, or it was quick. Or he had a peaceful death,” Abdullah Khashoggi, 33, told the news channel during a sit-down interview in here with his brother, Salah, 35.
Without their father’s body, the brothers said that their family was unable to grieve or find closure.
“All what we want right now is to bury him in Al-Baqi (cemetery) in Medina (Saudi Arabia) with the rest of his family,” Salah said.
“I talked about that with the Saudi authorities and I just hope that it happens soon.”
Authorities in Turkey, who believe that Khashoggi was murdered by a hit squad sent from Riyadh, were still searching for the journalist’s remains.
Last week, the chief prosecutor’s office said Khashoggi’s body was dismembered after he was strangled, while the Washington Post reported investigators were looking into the theory that the body was dissolved in acid.
The Saudi Royal Palace has denied any knowledge of the body’s whereabouts.
Abdullah and Salah told CNN that their father had been misunderstood and intentionally misrepresented for political reasons.
“Jamal was a moderate person. He was liked by everybody. He had differences and common values with everyone,” Salah said, describing the late Washington Post columnist as a genuine, happy person and an “amazing” father.
“I see a lot of people coming out right now and trying to claim his legacy and unfortunately some of them are using that in a political way that we totally don’t agree with.
“Public opinion is important… But my fear is that it’s being over politicized. People are throwing analysis that may direct us away from the truth,” he added.
According to reports in The Washington Post and The New York Times, Khashoggi was labelled as a Muslim Brotherhood sympathiser and a dangerous Islamist in phone calls the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, and John Bolton, National Security Adviser.
“It’s just labels and people not doing their homework properly, and reading his article and going in depth. It’s easier to stick a label on him,” Abdullah said, when asked about the Muslim Brotherhood claim.
Asked how Khashoggi should be remembered, Salah replied: “As a moderate man who has common values with everyone… A man who loved his country, who believed so much in it and its potential.
“Jamal was never a dissident. He believed in the monarchy that it is the thing that is keeping the country together. And he believed in the transformation that it is going through.”
Reflecting on their father’s career as a journalist, the brothers said their father was “like a rock and roll star” when they were out with him in Saudi Arabia.
Salah, the eldest sibling, has been made the principal family point of contact by the Saudi government. Abdullah, who lives in the United Arab Emirates was the last of the slain journalist’s children to see him alive.
They have two sisters, Noha, 27 and Razan, 25.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
King Salman
Jeddah : Saudi Arabia has canceled $6 billion of debt owed to the Kingdom from the least developed countries, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The initiative was revealed during the weekly meeting of the Saudi Council of Ministers on Tuesday chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.
The cabinet discussed Saudi Arabia’s cooperation with the international community to achieve stability and development as well as the humanitarian and economic role played by the Kingdom, particularly with regard to its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
—AB/UNA-OIC
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Investing, Muslim World
Riyadh : At the invitation of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference that kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. During the high level talks held on the sidelines of FII, it was agreed that the Kingdom will provide Pakistan with up to $3 billion in deferred payments for oil imports for one year, Pakistan’s government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Khan is accompanied, during the visit, by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Fawad Ahmed, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, and Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI) Haroon Sharif.
During the visit, Prime Minister Khan had detailed bilateral discussions with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who agreed to the premier’s suggestion to reduce visa fee for Pakistani workers, which is a significant step toward enhancing Pakistan’s workforce in the Kingdom and facilitating travel of people from both countries.
Far-reaching decisions on bilateral economic and financial cooperation were also agreed. These included the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the ministries of finance in the two countries, where it was agreed that Saudi Arabia will give Pakistan $3 billion as a balance of payment support for a year.
The statement noted that the earlier visit to Islamabad by a Saudi delegation had provided the opportunity to evaluate the possibility of investing in a petroleum refinery in Pakistan, where Saudi Arabia confirmed its interest in the project and a MoU will be signed after obtaining cabinet approval. Saudi Arabia also expressed interest in developing mineral resources in Pakistan. For this purpose, a Saudi delegation will be invited to visit Pakistan after consultations between the federal government and the government of Balochistan.
Following the opening of the three-day FII conference, a Pakistan-specific session was organized, in which Prime Minister Khan underlined his country’s priorities toward optimizing the economy and attracting foreign investment.
Stressing the focus of his government on human resource development, Khan highlighted the potential of Pakistan’s youth, identified lucrative investment opportunities in the tourism sector, minerals, coal and gas exploration, and information technology.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said successes have been achieved in the fight against terrorism, citing the peace and stability in the country. He added that this has elaborated the significance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the investment opportunities in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ).
—AB/UNA-OIC
