June 23, 2006

KING ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ LAYS THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE SECOND PHASE OF AL QASSIM UNIVERSITY CITY'S PROJECT AT A COST OF SR1.2BILLION. THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES, THE CROWN PRINCE AND HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS PERFORM FRIDAY PRAYERS AT KING FAHD MOSQUE AND RECEIVE THE PEOPLE OF AL QASSIM AT AL WADI PALACE IN BURAIDAH. A GRAND CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF THE KING HELD BY THE CITIZENS OF AL QASSIM IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CROWN PRINCE, PRINCES AND MINISTERS. THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES: GOD WILLING, WE ARE NEARING A PROMISING FUTURE AND WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE ON THE APPLICATION OF SHARIA LAW AND THE UNITY OF THE COUNTRY. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz performed Jumaa (Friday) prayer along with groups of worshippers at King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Mosque in Buraidah. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, and other princes were also present at the prayer, led by Imam Sheikh Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Qaraawi. In the key Khutba (speech), usually delivered before the prayer, the Imam urged Muslims to remain dedicated to instructions of Almighty Allah and to follow the sayings and deeds of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at Al Wadi (the valley) palace in Buraidah Ulamas, Sheikhs, senior civil and military officials, and citizens who came to greet him. Addressing the gathering, Sheikh Mansour Ibn Musfer Al Jofan, Chief of Qassim Region Courts lauded the leadership of King Abdullah who is following suit of his predecessors, Al Saud leaders. He said their rule was and still characterized by being committed to the Sharia law, enforcing justice and providing services to their people. The function was attended by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, other princes, ministers and senior civil and military officials. The guests had lunch with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz attended the lunch party held in his honor by Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor Qassim Region. The function was attended by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, a number of princes, ministers and senior civil and military officials. Addressing the gathering, Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Qassim Region, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for visiting the region, citing numerous achievements by Saudi authorities during the current reign of King Abdullah. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, has reiterated that he would not compromise on the application of Sharia law in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the unity of the country. He made these remarks in an address at a grand party hosted in his honor by the citizens of Qassim region in the presence of Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General. He urged scholars, people and media to refrain from classifying citizens into different thinking groups like secularists, liberals, hypocrites, Islamic extremists and others. In his address, King Abdullah said he was happy to be with the people of Qassim region, who had strived along with the late King Abdul Aziz to establish this country on the basis of the Islamic Sharia. "God willing, we are nearing a promising future -- a future of prosperity and progress that will surround the entire region." He reiterated that he would not compromise on the application of Sharia law and the unity of the country. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also urged scholars, people and media to refrain from classifying citizens into different thinking groups like secularists, liberals, hypocrites, Islamic extremists and others. Citing verses of the Holy Quran and a saying of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him), King Abdullah said the authorities would never be sceptical about the loyalty of any citizen unless it was categorically proved to be that. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz warned Saudis against creating division in the country by labelling others as secularists, liberals, extremists, Islamists or hypocrites, saying such classifications were against the teachings of Islam and would weaken the country's unity. "We don't question the faith or patriotism of any Saudi until proved otherwise by strong evidence," he said. The king made this comment while speaking at the grand reception accorded to him by the people of Qasim. More than 70,000 people, including top officials, attended the reception held at a sports stadium in Buraidah. An opera attended by 6,000 artists added color to the function. "I request all citizens in general, as well as students, journalists and writers in particular, to rise up to expectations by keeping themselves away from such negative trends," the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted King Abdullah as saying. The King quoted a verse from the Holy Qur'an regarding a ban on the faithful from mocking or insulting others with name-calling. Abdullah commended the role played by Qasim, in the north-central part of the country, in the Kingdom's unification thanks to its all-out support to King Abdul Aziz during his drive to unify the region. King Abdullah pledged that he would work for the development of all regions. "We are heading for a bright future... a future of goodness and progress, covering all regions, houses and citizens," he said. He thanked the people of Al-Qassim region for their warm welcome and said he prayed to God to bless them with success, prosperity and progress. Upon arrival at the city's sports stadium, King Abdullah was greeted by cheering crowds, led by all members of the steering committee who shook hands with him. In an address during the speech ceremony, a representative of the people of Qassim region welcomed the Monarch, lauding the pillars on which the Saudi state was built. In this context, he cited justice, fairness, tolerance, rejection of violence and extremism and abidance by the Sharia Law. On his part, Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Qassim region, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for visiting the region, citing numerous achievements of Saudi authorities during the current reign of King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched a number of educational, manpower training, housing and infrastructure projects including a university campus in the central region of Qasim. The projects are estimated to cost SR5 billion. He laid the foundation stone of Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar project and listened to Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Organization of Technical Educational and Vocational Training Khaled Ibn Mohammad Al-Qusaibi and Governor of the organization who said that the project will include construction of male and female training units in Al-Qassim region, costing more than SR500 million. King Abdullah, then opened a project of 88 schools costing a total amount of SR821 million and laid the foundation stone of male and female educational projects. He also listened to a brief explanation from Minister of Education Abdullah Ibn Saleh Al-Obaid about these projects who said that these projects will include 412 schools, which are estimated to cost SR 1.629 billion. Later, King Abdullah laid the foundation stone of the commercial housing project (Sahar) and listened to a brief explanation from Sheikh Sulaiman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi who said that the project will be on an area of 600, 000 square meters involving a total expenditure of SR1.5 billion. The project is scheduled for completion in 2008. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz patronized the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of Qassim University City Second Phase Project at a cost of SR1.2billion. This phase of the project includes buildings for the colleges of Shariah and Usooluddin, Arabic Language and Social Studies, Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, Pharmacology, and Applied Medical Sciences. The construction will also include a conference center, a 400-bed university hospital, housing for teachers and sports facilities. Addressing the launching ceremony, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari thanked the king for paying special attention to university-level education, which he believes to be the cornerstone for the nation's development. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz had laid the foundation stone for the first university in the northern region of Hail. Accompanied by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, King Abdullah was received upon arrival at the venue by Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Qassim Region; Prince Dr. Faisal Ibn Mishaal Ibn Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Governor of Qassim Region; Dr. Khalid Al Anqari, Minister of Higher Education; and Dr. Khalid Ibn Abdul Rahman Al Homoodi, the Director of the university. Then the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques laid the foundation stone of the project. Using a replica of the project, the director of the university briefed the King on the contents of the facility. The university's second phase includes 13 sub-projects costing SR1,020,000,000 including a 400-bed hospital, faculty of medicine and faculty of dentistry and other faculties. Phase one started ten years ago as part of the Riyadh-based Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University. Three years ago, it was promoted to an independent university of Qassim, according to the university's director. This year the university graduated as many as 1726 male and 104 female students. Then King Abdullah held a dialogue with the senate of the university before leaving. The event was attended by a number of princes and senior civil and military officials. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz arrived in Buraidah coming from Hail within his current tour of a number of regions to take care of the citizens, follow-up the progress in developmental projects and lay the foundation stone of or open new ones. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz was received by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Qassim Region; Prince Dr. Faisal Ibn Mishaal Ibn Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Governor of Qassim Region; Prince Brig. Turki Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz; other princes, and senior civil and military officials. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was accompanied by a number of princes and senior officials. Earlier, King Abdullah left Hail. He was seen off by Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Musaed Al Saud, Governor the Northern Borders Region; Prince Saud Ibn Abdul Mohsen Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor Hail Region; Prince Badr Ibn Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Saad Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Governor of Hail Region; other princes, and senior civil and military officials.