NICOSIA, Reuter: Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, making a pilgrimage to Mecca, was quoted by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday as saying Pakistan ‘was determined to implement the principles of Islamic Law.
Bhutto, 35, the first woman Prime Minister in the Moslem world, told reporters: “We will abrogate any law contradicting the Koran or the prophet’s sunna,” SPA reported.
™We have also announced that Friday is a holiday. We distribute. Free copies of the Koran in Arabic,” she said in Jeddah on Tuesday night before travelling to Mecca and Medina.
“We have made it easier for everyone to make the pilgrimage, have defended just Islamic issues and have developed strong relations with Islamic countries.
”We have come to the holy land to present our thanks to almighty God and call on him to give us his guidance and our country his care,” the SPA report in Arabic quoted her as saying.
Pakistani Embassy Officials have said the two-day visit, Bhutto’s first trip abroad as Prime Minister, is purely private and religious but diplomats expect her to visit Saudi Arabia’s eastern province to meet King Fahd.
Pakistan traditionally has very close ties with the Kingdom, where hundreds of thousands of its workers are employed. The country has been closely involved in training and supporting Saudi Arabia’s armed forces.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1989
