From Our Correspondent
Paris ( Parliament Times): On the occasion of Pakistan Day, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Paris. The ceremony was attended by a large number of Pakistanis, members of the diplomatic corps, media representatives and embassy officials.
On this occasion, the messages of the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were read out.
Ambassador of Pakistan Asim Iftikhar Ahmed welcomed the guests and thanked them for being a part of the event. In his remarks, the ambassador said that on this day in 1940, Muslims presented their demand for a separate homeland where they could live according to their wishes.
He further said that March 23 is a historic day in the history of Pakistan Movement. It is a day to pay tribute to the heroic struggle of our forefathers for a separate homeland. A struggle that was given direction and momentum started with the historic Lahore Resolution of 1940, later named the Pakistan Resolution. It was a great demonstration of the vision of the Muslims of the subcontinent as this resolution brought them together with extraordinary courage and zeal to struggle for a separate homeland and freedom which was secured in a short span of 7 years.
Addressing the guests, the Ambassador of Pakistan said that due to the visionary leadership of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the sacrifices of his colleagues, many difficulties were overcome to make Pakistan possible and the dream of Allama Iqbal was realized.
Ambassador of Pakistan Asim Iftikhar Ahmed further said that when we celebrate Pakistan Day, we should not forget that the people of India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir are enduring the worst oppression and state-sponsored terrorism at the hands of the Indian occupation forces. are
He said that the Hindutva agenda and the unilateral actions of August 2019, the key to sustainable peace in South Asia is the resolution of the conflict in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Pakistan, on its part, is determined to provide all possible support to the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.
The Ambassador of Pakistan also expressed full support for the Palestinian people who have been facing injustice, oppression and illegal occupation by the Israeli Defence Forces for 7 decades.
He said that Pakistan remains steadfast in its principled support for the establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital.
The Ambassador highlighted the importance of Pakistan-France friendship and said that both countries are in need of purposeful development, peace and security.
Ambassador of Pakistan Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said that there is a positive momentum in the relations between France and Pakistan and both sides are coming closer not only through political consultations but also through economic activities. Much attention was paid to enhancing cooperation in energy, IT, agriculture and livestock, tourism and other sectors.
He appreciated the Pakistani community living in France for their achievements and services to strengthen Pakistan-France relations, especially people-to-people relations. He hailed the compatriots as ambassadors of Pakistan and an invaluable asset, who are committed to the ideals of the founders to achieve dignity for Pakistan by embracing the values of hard work, integrity and compassion.
Later, the guests enjoyed Pakistani children’s poetry and tableau performance on the occasion.
On this occasion, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed was also awarded the Pakistan Civil Award Medal of Distinction for his excellent public services. This award was announced by the President of Pakistan on August 14, 2023.
