Madinah Emir Prince Faisal Bin Salman receives All India Muslim Scholars Association General Secretary Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar (second left) and Panakkad Sayyid Basheerali Shihab Thangal (extreme right) at his office on Wednesday. Gammon Group’s Chairman Sheikh Rafik Mohammed, Sheikh Muhammad Salem Al-Hunaini and Sulaiman Salem Al-Hunaini are also seen in the picture. — Courtesy photo



Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Madinah Emir Prince Faisal Bin Salman received a delegation of Indian Muslim leaders at his office in Madinah on Wednesday. The delegation included Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, general secretary of All India Muslim Scholars Association, and Panakkad Sayyid Basheerali Shihab Thangal, member of the working committee of the Kerala State Muslim League.



Speaking on the occasion, Prince Faisal commended Indians as a peace-loving and enterprising people who are making contributions to the Kingdom’s development process in many respects.



“Indians were among the major beneficiaries of the correction period announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to regulate the status of foreign workers as part of the Nitaqat program. The Kingdom is keen to further strengthen bilateral ties with India,” he said.



Prince Faisal also spoke about the remarkable developments being witnessed in Madinah and the great services and facilities being rendered to pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque, said Sheikh Rafik Mohammed, chairman of the Gammon Group who accompanied the delegation.



On his part, Kanthapuram thanked the Kingdom for its support to Indian Muslims and underlined the need for further cementing the relations. Kanthapuram also extended an invitation to Prince Faisal to visit India, which he has accepted, according to Mohammed.