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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan Moves to Quiet Outcry Against Saudi Arabia Over Hajj Stampede |
| 2015-10-07 |
| [NYTIMES] For years, Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... has enjoyed a hallowed status here, considered above question or criticism. Yet the hajj stampede near Mecca last month has taken some of the luster off the exalted image of the kingdom. Scores of Pak pilgrims were killed in the disaster, and many families still do not know what happened to relatives. That has set off an unusual public outcry that prompted the Pak government to warn the privately run, characteristically rambunctious television networks to avoid criticizing the Saudis in news programs and talk shows. Pakistain has long been a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which has provided generous amounts of military and other aid over the years. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... has his own close ties: After his previous government was tossed in a military coup in 1999, he went into exile there. Still, Mr. Sharif disappointed his former hosts in April when Pakistain's Parliament voted not to send troops, aircraft and warships to Yemen, as the Saudis had asked. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 the Saudi aid to Pakland includes building lots of madrassas and, of course, some of the graduates of said madrassas (maybe even facilty) were killed in the stampede what a shame |
| Posted by: lord garth 2015-10-07 00:29 |
| #1 IIRC Iran is proposing = demanding? that the KSA give up its tradional unilateral control of Hajj ground security to a new Security Force composed from several Muslim Nations. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-10-07 00:24 |