By Engr. Iftikhar Ali
ISLAMABAD:Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan organized a corlourful reception in Islamabad on Tuesday to celebrate 35th National Day of the Russian Federation.Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert Pavlovich Khorev along with senior diplomats of the Embassy warmly welcomed the guests.
President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari was the Chief Guest. At the commencement of the event national anthem of both countries was played and was solemnly observed by the participants.
Addressing on the occasion as a Chief Guest, the president of Pakistan said that Pakistan and Russia have enormous potential needed to be exploited to expand bilateral partnership in trade, investment, technology, and people-to-people exchanges. He said Pakistan regards Russia as an important global power that has been a key player in ensuring regional peace and stability, particularly in the Eurasian region.
President Asif Ali Zardari extended his sincere congratulations to President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Albert Pavlovich Khorev as well as to the people of Russia. “On this significant occasion, Pakistan joins Russia in celebrating this National Day,
reflecting our solidarity and friendship. I am glad to state that our bilateral relations have improved over the years, based on mutual respect, cooperation, and shared interests in various fields,” the president added.
Earlier,in his welcome address,Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert Pavlovih Khorev emphasized that Russia remains a sovereign, powerful, and resilient nation, driven by the unwavering support of its people.
Quoting the words of President Vladimir Putin,Khorev said that Russia has historically played a unifying role in the region, stretching “from the Baltics to the Caucasus.” He expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s growing interest in Russian language and culture.
“We commend the Pakistani enthusiasm for learning the Russian language,” he remarked. “The Russian Mission is actively supporting the establishment and expansion of language learning institutions across the country.”
The Ambassador also reaffirmed Russia’s continued support for Pakistan on various international platforms, noting that both nations are working together to deepen ties in education, diplomacy, and mutual development.
Earlier,President Zardari was briefed about Russia’s traditional arts and crafts as part of the National Day celebrations organized by the Russian Embassy.
The National Day function was attended by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Mr. Tariq Fatemi, Honorary Consul of Russia for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Arsallah Khan, Honorary consul for Punjab Mr. Habib Ahmed, Provincial Culture Secretary of
the Awami National Party Muhammad Akbar Khan Hoti, Provincial President of Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party Ashraf Ali Advocate, General Secretary Muslim Lawyers Forum Mr. Nasir Iqbal, Chief Editor World Tribune, Iftikhar Mashwani, Dr. Iftikhar Bukhari, Ambassadors and other diplomats
of different countries, high-level Pakistani officials and individuals representing various walks of life.
A delegation of the Association of Pakistani Graduates from Russia & CIS (APGR & CIS) also attended the event including, Chairman Dr. Shahid Hassan General Secretary of the Association Engr. Iftikhar Ali, Dr. Faiza Rasheed, Engr. Ihsan ur Rahim, Dr. Saqib Khan, Mr. Raham Dil, Dr. Farman, Dr, Nawaz
Qaisrani, Mr. Safdar Abbas, Mr. Baryal Khan Khattak, Dr. Iftikhar Hashmi, Dr. Iqbal Tareen, Dr. Sarfaraz Khan and others.
The ceremony concluded with a musical performance by a Russian folk artist which received a big applause from the audience.
