NEW YORK: Over a hundred ambassadors hailing from all over the world attended a reception hosted by Pakistan’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi to celebrate Pakistan Day on Friday.
In her welcoming remarks to the gathering, Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistan’s remarkable journey since the Pakistan Resolution was adopted has been powered by the spirit and resilience of the Pakistani people.
“We are gathered here to pay tribute to them and as well as to our founding fathers to whom we owe the creation of Pakistan,” she added. She also paid tribute to the men and women who serve as UN peacekeepers.
“They keep our flag flying high,” she told the large gathering.
Maleeha Lodhi also spoke about the significance of the day and highlighted the role and contribution of Pakistan at the UN.
A cake bearing the country’s flag was cut on the occasion to mark the celebrations. The Pakistan Mission had set up photo displays to project Pakistan’s history, culture and its contribution to UN peacekeeping on the occasion. A special photo exhibit highlighted the country’s women in UN peacekeeping as well.
With 6,217 troops, Pakistan is among the world’s top troop-contributing countries, with peacekeepers deployed in UN Missions around the world. Since 1960, over 200,000 Pakistani personnel have served with professionalism and distinction in 26 countries and 43 UN missions.
Also displayed were photographs of Pakistani women who have excelled in their different professions and walks of life, including Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto, Nafis Sadiq, Malala Yousafzai, Shamshad Akhtar, Tehmina Janjua and Abida Parveen.
The song “Dil dil Pakistan” was played in the reception hall as part of the celebrations, and the UN officials and ambassadors joined the Pakistani mission in the festivities, singing along to it.
Among those who attended the reception were the envoys to UN from China, Russia, Iran, India, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and a number of other ambassadors from Latin American, European and Arab countries.
Also present were senior UN officials, UN press corps representatives and members of the Pakistani community.
Published in Daily Times, March 25th 2018.
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