Kamal felicitates Zimbabwe on 45th Independence Anniversary
Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan has admired the strides by Zimbabwe on path of progress and prosperity, particularly its efforts to integrate Southern African Development Community (SADC) as its important member.
Jam Kamal expressed these views while addressing as Chief Guest the 45th Independence Day celebrations hosted by Ambassador Air Marshal (R) T.M.J Abu-Basutu of Zimbabwe at Serena Hotel Tuesday evening.
He, on behalf of the government the people of Pakistan, felicitated the ambassador and his fellow nationals.
Pakistan, Jam Kamal said valued its relations with Zimbabwe and looked forward to enhancing trade and business relations with this great African country.
The Zimbabwean reception was well-attended affair as one could see a large number of ambassadors and diplomats.
Additional Foreign Secretary Hamid Asghar Khan, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Turkmenistan Ambassador Atadjan Movlamov, Sudan’s Ambassador Salih Mohamed Ahmed, Kenya’s High Commissioner Lt Gen (R) Peter Mbogo Njiru, Yemen’s Ambassador Mohammed Motaher Alashabi, Morocco’s Mohamed Karmoune, Japan’s ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi, the Austrian ambassador Mrs Andrea Wicke, Brunei High Commissioner, Col (R) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah, Indonesia’s Charge d’Affaires Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma, Sri Lanka’s CdA Christy Ruban, Malaysia’s DHM Mohd Syafik Firdaus, Minister Counsellor of the Czech Republic Vaclav Dobes, Chairman of Africa House Rehan Younas, a good number of the African countries’ diplomats and Pakistani businessmen were among the noted guests who greeted the Zimbabwean Ambassador, DHM Mr Webster and their colleagues on the auspicious occasion.
Pakistan’s business community representatives appreciated the government’s ‘Look Africa, Engage Africa’ policy emphasizing increased business with the African markets.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Amb Abu-Basutu reaffirmed his desire to expand business and people-to-people ties with Pakistan.
Zimbabwe, he said, attained independence on 18 April, 1980 after a long and bitter liberation struggle against settler colonialism.
“Our independence was made possible thanks to the support we received from the progressive world including Pakistan that played a key role, by providing moral and material support to our noble cause,” said the ambassador.
Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1980, with opening its embassy in Harare in November, 1980, while Zimbabwe established its embassy in Islamabad in June, 2023.
The ambassador paid tributes and recalled a distinguished Pakistani national (late) Air Marshal Azim Doudpota who played a central role in shaping the Air Force of Zimbabwe at independence in 1980.
Ever since, Zimbabwe and Pakistan continue to closely collaborate in the defence field with dignity, decency, and mutual respect.
A sizeable Pakistan diaspora also lives in Zimbabwe contributing to its economy and diversity.
Some Pakistanis have gone even a step further by integrating into our society and we are proud to have a Pakistani national as Captain of our senior Cricket team, Sikandar Raza with his roots in Lahore.
