Islamabad, 19 Feb 2019 -Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has said that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms not only in Pakistan but also in the region and beyond.
He was speaking as chief guest at the traditional orange festival organised by the Zaildar family led by Syed Zaheer Shah and Syed Ahsan Shah here on 17 Feb at Taxila near Rawalpindi. Air Vice Martial Shahab Shafqat, Dean of Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Turkmenistan H.E Atadjan Movlamov, Dean of COSA, Col Mehman D.A Azerbaijan were guest of honor.
Members of Pakistan Romania Friendship Association also participated in the festival.They set up a stall where different handicrafts and utencils painted with famous truck art were placed. Ambassador of Romania H.E Nicolae Goia and embassy staff was also present.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan H.E Barlybay Sadikov, Ambassador of Japan H.E Kuninori (Matz)MATSUDA, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan H.E Erik Beishembeiv, H.Cs of Belarus and South Africa, Diplomats from Tajikistan,Palestine,Italy, Czech Republic and other countries were also present.
He said that Pakistan is front runner for ensuring regional and global peace as it is against all kinds of terrorism.He specially mentioned Paigham-e-Pakistan narrative where 5000 religious scholars and Ulema gave fatwa against extremism and terrorism last year. It aimed at seeking plural society and equal rights to every citizen. Paigham-e-Pakistan condemns all forms of extremism and terrorism and against declaring arm struggle against the state.
The traditional orange festival — which presents folk songs, cultural shows featuring horse dancing, etc, and traditional sports like stone lifting — turned into a galaxy of foreign diplomats as it was attended by over 60 Islamabad-based ambassadors, high commissioners and attaches, including from Europe, Far East, Middle East, and Gulf and Asian countries.
General Hayat on the occasion said that Pakistan had been playing a key role in regional and international peacekeeping initiatives, adding that the country had participated in 43 United Nations’ peacekeeping missions in 26 countries. He said presently 6,000 Pakistani soldiers, including 400 women, were participating in UN peacekeeping missions.
General Hayat said 157 Pakistani peacekeepers, including 24 officers, had laid down their lives for global and regional peace and security efforts under the UN banner. He said Pakistan’s credentials as a peaceful country had improved a lot, that was why the number of tourists visiting this great country had multiplied.
Beginning from Congo in 1960, he said Pakistan has contributed into 43 UN missions in 26 different countries with 172,000 peace keeping forces including 400 women. Our 157 Pakistanis peace keepers including 24 officers have laid down their lives for regional and global peace, he added. Today more than 6000 Pakistan’s peace keeping soldiers are deployed at different parts of the world, he noted.
He said Pakistan accommodated refugees since 1947 as eight millions came from across the border and since 1979 Pakistan hosted 5 million refuges. We are still hosting 2.7 million Afghan refuges, when only a few hundred refugees become a political problem in many countries, he added.
He said Pakistanis are brilliant people and serving in many parts of the world.
The CJCSC told the diplomats that Pakistan was gifted with best tourist resorts. Tourism is making healthy gains in Pakistan and improved security situation has increased the flow of tourists.He said that there are best tourists’ resorts in Pakistan as the tourism had started getting healthy gains after improvement in security situation as 1.75 million tourists visited Pakistan during 2017. Now with more relaxed visa policy, World Travel and Tourism Council estimated that Pakistan could generate $36 billion in next decade till 2030, he added.
He said that Pakistan was proud of our progressive agriculture base as this part was known as bread basket of the world. All agricultural crops have witnessed phenomenal growth since inception of Pakistan as wheat production went up by 628 percent as country of 30 million plus was deficient in wheat but today country 220 million was producing surplus wheat. Likewise the production of rice has gone up by 1744 percent since 1947, sugarcane by 875 percent and cotton by 1016 percent, he maintained.
He said Pakistan agriculture productivity ranges below as global standards as the share of agriculture in our GDP currently standing at 18 percent could be jacked up to 38 percent. This is doable and we are on path to do it, he further said.
Pakistan is fifth largest dairy producer and can increase exports of milk and beef to Middle East and Central Asian Republics (CARs). He said that Pakistani Diaspora in second and third generation was matter of pride for us as they are major source of remittances. He said that top five managers of banking sector and financial institutions and he did not want to forget to mention tireless workers such as taxi drivers, builders and others were contributing a lot for Pakistan. He said that Pakistani Diaspora in Middle East, Europe and USA was making us proud.
General Hayat further said Pakistan had suffered economic losses in excess of $123 billion direct and $500bn indirect since 2001.
Ambassador of Turkmenistan Atajan Movlamov, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, said in his address that Pakistan was a peaceful country and its people were friendly.He said that Pakistan had been on the right path of economic development and stability and that the country was gaining importance in the geostrategic arena.
The dean of COSA, Col Mehman of Azerbaijan, in his address said that diplomats were generally reluctant to serve in Pakistan. But, he added, after observing the diverse culture, peaceful society and friendly people, they became reluctant to leave this country.He said events like the orange festival would not only play an important role in promotion of soft image of the country, but also provide opportunity for diplomats to better understand the Pakistani culture.
In his welcome address, Syed Ahsan Shah said that the city of Taxila belonged to the country’s old Gandhara civilisation which is rich in history and culture. The country’s diverse culture and hospitality was showcased through events like the orange festival, he added.
The diplomatic also enjoyed traditional music by local singer Malik Salman. The diplomats enjoyed delicious local food at the end of the ceremony.
