Commenting on the ever-growing bilateral ties between the Kingdom and Pakistan, Aziz said "We have supported each other, stood by each other, we have strong links, and it is a very rich relationship. There are a million Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia, as the King mentioned in his speech. We have lots of Saudi investors here. We support each other in terms of promoting the cause of the Muslim Ummah, as well as increasing trade and investment." He thanked Saudi Arabia for its generous donations to the victims of the Oct. 8 earthquake, and he praised the way the Kingdom handles the Hajj and Umrah traffic. "We see the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques as the leader of the Ummah. Islam is not well projected in the world and we all need to work together to explain our faith. We look at Saudi Arabia as playing a leading role in this regard. Our close historical ties and shared faith and shared sense of values bring us very close together. This relationship is a source of strength for Pakistan. The King is a true friend of Pakistan, a world leader and a leader of the Ummah. This visit touched the hearts and minds of Pakistani people," said the prime minister. He considers the King's visit to India and China as a positive step for the region. "Relations between any two countries are not directed against another," he said. "We see that the more Saudi Arabia is engaged with these countries the better. The more interaction Saudi Arabia has with China and India the better it will be to improve the atmosphere in the region."--MORE 11 18 Local Time 08 18 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/329490