ISLAMABAD - Saudi Embassy in Pakistan Monday took serious exception to media reports creating the impression as Saudi Arabia was in any manner involved in promoting extremist mindset by extending financial assistance to religious seminaries in Pakistan. “A section of the media has been propagating a false impression that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is funding the extremist mindset in Pakistan through its financial support for religious seminaries,” a press statement issued by the Saudi embassy said.
The Embassy clarified that whenever any seminary, mosque or charity organisations request the kingdom for financial assistance, the embassy refers the matter to the Government of Pakistan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for examining suitability of the applicant.
It further clarified that only “when the ministry of foreign affairs informs the embassy in writing that the financial assistance is in the interest of public welfare, the assistance is provided to the applicant ... The assistance has always been beyond any sectarian considerations.