RIYADH: Saudi women distribute flowers to incoming attendees of the Quality of Life Program 2020 conference in the capital on May 3, 2018. —AFP

RIYADH: A Saudi body seems to have backtracked on a new initiative calling to end prayer-time store closures and gender segregation in public places - potentially divisive reforms for the deeply conservative kingdom. Arabic-language newspaper Okaz reported that the Quality of Life program to improve life in Saudi Arabia had cited both practices as requiring "immediate change" in order to increase the public's participation in its activities and boost investor confidence.

The article, published on Friday, was later removed. Reuters saw a copy of the document it cited, but a different version posted on an official website did not mention gender segregation or store closures among needed reforms. No timeframe was specified. Loai Bafaqeeh, chief executive of the Quality of Life program, refused to comment on the apparent discrepancy.

"We are looking into all things that relate to the citizen and resident, including things that involve improving the quality of life, such as families entering sports stadiums and women driving," he told Reuters by phone yesterday.

Saudi Arabia has for decades imposed strict social rules, including bans on alcohol, music and mixing of unrelated men and women. Much of that is now changing under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who curbed the powers of the religious police in 2016 as part of ambitious social and economic reforms that saw cinemas reopen last month after a nearly 40-year ban.

The kingdom, which is set to allow women to drive this summer but still requires them to have a male guardian, does not have an all-encompassing codified legal code. It relies instead mainly on Islamic sharia law, with police and judiciary citing social customs in enforcing certain prohibitions. Analysts say there is no legal basis for enforcing store closures or segregation. The religious police still patrol some public spaces, but no longer harass people for being on the streets during prayer time or enter private establishments to enforce gender segregation. Many Saudis, especially in big cities, welcome the limits on their authority.

Unrelated men and women are increasingly allowed to enter family sections of restaurants together, and public events have generally done away with such divisions. Stores still close multiple times a day for prayer for about 30 minutes each, but some allow customers to stay inside and continue shopping.

The potential changes were not mentioned in an event on Thursday celebrating the Quality of Life program, which includes entertainment, health, sports and education. American film star Katie Holmes and British actor-cum-director Idris Elba rubbed shoulders with Saudi officials, as the kingdom on Thursday night kicked off the initiative to invest 130 billion riyals ($34.7 billion) in culture and leisure by 2020.

The goal is to create "a true cultural industry, with theatres, cinemas and training centers," said Ahmad Al-Mazid, who leads culture policy for Saudi Arabia. Key projects include 16 entertainment complexes, an aquatic center and three other huge leisure hubs - all part of a bid to ensure three Saudi cities make it into the global top 100 for quality of life. The project, dubbed "Quality of Life Program 2020", is in part designed to encourage wealthy young citizens to spend more of their leisure time in the kingdom, where more than half the population is below the age of 25.

"It will contribute to the satisfaction of Saudis and incentivize them to invest in their country and to stay," said Ahmad Khatib, head of the oil-rich state's entertainment policy. The government will pump 50.9 billion riyals into this cultural revolution, while courting private investors and foreign partners for the rest of the investment.

"Saudi Arabia gave me an opportunity to make my film here, it made sense on an economical model," British actor Elba, who made his name as a gangster in the gritty American police series The Wire, told AFP at the event. "I would definitely be here - why not?" added the Londoner, who has in more recent years turned his hand to directing and has a Twitter following of more than 2.5 million. The initiative aims to create 300,000 new jobs and represents a key pillar of the nation's "Vision 2030" reforms. - Agencies