Tazeen Akhtar
Photos Raja Ghulam Farid
Federal Minister Industries and Production , Rana Tanveer Hussain has congratulated the government and people of Bosnia & Herzegovina on their independence day. The minister has expressed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. He has said that Pakistan attaches great importance with her relations with Bosnia & Herzegovina.
He expressed these views in his speech as chief guest at the reception hosted by Mr. & Mrs. Emin Cohodarevic, Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina in Pakistan on the 33rd anniversary of Independence Day.
Minister Maritime, Qaisar Ahmad Sheikh, Senator Salim Mandviwala, Spokesperson Foreign Office Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, civil military officials, diplomats, business community and media persons also attended the celebration. Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Brunei, France, Germany, Iran, Jordon, Libya. Morocco, Malaysia, Oman, Poland,Palestine, Sweden, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Vietnam and many other countries were also present.
Ambassador Emin Cohodarevic, in his welcome address, expressed his gratitude to the participants and shed light on the history of the day. He said , ” Exactly thirty three years ago, with the declaration of citizens in a referendum, Bosnia and Herzegovina began its struggle for independence and sovereignty from 1992 to 1995 was a general struggle of people who have no other homelands, people who only defend their own, and do not reach out for other people’s homeland. That struggle was brought forward by the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, members of all its ethnic, religious or other identities.”
” History will not forget the names of those who have lost their lives in the name of defending their sovereignty and freedom, nor the partner nations that stood alongside them and supported their cause in words, deeds and resources. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was among them. We will never forget that, H.E added.
On Pakistan, the Ambassador was extremely appreciative saying, ” Bosnia and Herzegovina holds a special place in the hearts of the Pakistani people. The warm hospitality extended to me and my family in last year was a demonstration of the friendship, brotherhood and partnership between our two countries and peoples. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for warmth and hospitality I experienced in every corner of Pakistan.”
On bilateral relations, Mr. Emin shared , ” We hope to further intensify bilateral relations with the proposed two visits in this year. I am proud of all the work we have accomplished so far, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds between our countries at a critical time in history.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a meeting point of civilizations, a bridge the East and the West. Bosnia needs Europe, the united Europe of stability, prosperity and cooperation. And Europe needs Bosnia and Herzegovina. On December 15th, 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted candidate status for European Union membership.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is on a pathway to becoming a NATO member. By undergoing rigorous training according to NATO standards, they have earned the “COMBAR READY” certificate, further affirming their quality and interoperability with international partners.
Ambassador touched the issues of Gaza and Ukraine as well. He said, ” The far right, associated with fascist and populist tendencies, is on the rise, the aggression against Ukraine and the suffering of Gaza have thrown humanity into a deep crisis, with a lot of uncertainty and fear. It is our moral imperative to find the ends to these wars. With the weight of these challenges upon us, let us use this day as a reminder of the power of unity and the importance of respecting one another’s dignity.”
Finally, Mr. Emin appreciated the cooperation of Honorary Consuls Mr. Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid,Karachi, Mr. Danish Iqbal,Lahore and Mr. Asad Saleem Rehman, Peshawar, who helped make this event possible. He said, ” Your unwavering support has been instrumental in strengthening the bilateral relationship between our countries.”
He thanked Mr. Faizan Badar, Secretary of the Federal Tax Administration of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan who worked tirelessly for strengthening the cooperation between our two countries.
