The youngest defence minister in the world and the first in line to the throne, 33-year-old Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is the subject of much fascination. With his relentless energy, in just two short years he has left his mark on the world.
His reforms have focused on ease of life for Saudi women, and have won him admiration among young Saudis, keen to compete globally. “We believe women have rights in Islam that they’ve yet to obtain,” the prince says.
Women can drive, attend concerts, and soon will also see relaxation in the male guardianship laws.
Cinemas are open again, after a 35 year ban. There are plans in the works to move away from reliance on an oil economy into more diversified sectors.
His hallmark mixing modernity with the heritage of the desert kingdom, is a winning combination. His father, the king of Saudi Arabia, is the son of the founder of Saudi Arabia. He is an avid reader, and he liked to assign his children one book per week to read, and then quiz them to see who has read it.
Growing up, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s mother, through her staff, organized daily extracurricular courses and field trips and brought in intellectuals for three-hour discussions. Both parents were taskmasters. Being late to lunch with his father was “a disaster,” the prince says. His mother was so strict that “my brothers and I used to think, Why is our mother treating us this way? She would never overlook any of the mistakes we made,” he says. Now the prince thinks her punishments made them stronger.
A devoted husband and father, he is awakened most mornings by his children, two boys and two girls, ranging in age from 1 to 6. That’s the last he sees of them. “Sometimes my wife gets upset with me because I put so much pressure on her for the programs that I want them to have,” he says. “I rely mainly on their mother for their upbringing.”
In various interviews he has consistently stressed that Islam is a source of strength in a modernization drive. This sentiment is deeply appreciated, not just in Pakistan, but across the Muslim world. Young Muslims have grown increasingly wary of being unfairly linked and criticized in conjunction with events related to terrorism and extremism.
With 70% of Pakistanis under the age of 30, they will look to the young Crown Prince for inspiration. He is expected to be a much admired figure among Pakistan’s people.
With Pakistan turning over a new leaf under the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, many find parallels in the anti-corruption drive started by Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. Both countries have large populations of young people, looking for opportunities of a better life for themselves. With an abundance of resources, and linked arm-in-arm, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have a glorious future ahead.
Pakistan holds close the words of the Crown Prince, “The opportunities we have are much bigger than the problems.” We welcome HRH, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to Pakistan. May this be the first of many trips.