Islamabad (TDI): The Pakistan-China Friendship Center in the heart of the capital city came to life on Tuesday evening as Diplomatic Insight Group (DIG) co-hosted a Pakistan–China Cultural Evening, adding to a flurry of events celebrating the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The evening was studded with cultural performances and displays, and was organized in collaboration with Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, UNI International, Pakistan-Chinese Education Association, and other partner organizations.
Interior Minister, Attaullah Tarar, graced the occasion with his presence, and he was joined by the Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives – Ahsan Iqbal – as the chief guest. Deputy Head of Mission of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan also graced the evening.
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan – Daniyal Chaudhary – was also in attendance. The event celebrated the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China through culture, dialogue, heritage, artistic exchange, and people-to-people connectivity, reflecting the spirit of a shared future between the two brotherly nations.
Ashfaq Ahmad Khalil, Federal Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, said that the ties between China and Pakistan extend well beyond formal diplomacy; into the fold of people-to-people connection.
He referred to the evening as being all about music, art, cuisine, and cultural expression of both countries; and rightly so. Food stalls were set up as a display of distinct cuisines while cultural displays were another spotlight of the evening.
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Culture was not just on showcase at the various stalls set up in the gigantic Pak-China Friendship Center, it was also performed for the audiences; which included both Pakistani and Chinese students, and the many sections of Chinese community living in Pakistan.
A group of children from both countries performed on the Chinese song “Jasmine Flower,” and sent a hall full of people in a state of utmost joy and celebration.
Meanwhile, a cultural evening is incomplete without the soul-touching beat of “Dil Dil Pakistan.” A musical band threw the audience in applause and cheers when it sang and performed the national song loved equally by Pakistanis and Chinese.
The evening also commemorated the feats accomplished in this all-weather friendship; with a remembrance of the construction of Karakoram Highway and how it was constructed with the blood and sweat and combined resilience of both people.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
