President pays visit to Holy Sites in Najaf, Kufa

Governor Karbala hosts Zardari, discussions focus on areas of mutual interest

NAJAF: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday visited the holy cities of Najaf and Kufa, where he paid respects at key religious sites and offered prayers.
In Najaf, the President visited the shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA), where he offered Fateha and prayed. He later proceeded to Kufa, where he offered Nawafil prayers at Masjid-e-Kufa and visited the house attributed to Hazrat Ali (RA).
During his visit, President Zardari prayed for peace, unity, and harmony among the Muslim Ummah.
The president also met with administrators and religious scholars in Najaf and Kufa. The meetings were attended by the Governor of Najaf and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, Governor of Karbala, Iraq, Dr Nsayif Jassim Al-Khatabi, Tuesday hosted a lunch in honour of President Asif Ali Zardari and their discussions focused on areas of mutual interest, including cultural exchange, tourism, and the protection of historical sites.
The president expressed appreciation for the warm reception and emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration between the two countries, President’s Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release.
President Zardari noted that it was a matter of great honour to be in a city that hosted some of the most revered places in Islam.
Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Saleem Mandviwala, Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Governor of Punjab, Senior Minister Sindh Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iraq accompanied the president.
“The Iraq visit is part of President Zardari’s broader efforts to strengthen diplomatic, cultural, and people-to-people ties in the region,” it was further added. APP