LAHORE, Pakistan: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday emphasised the need to strengthen Pakistan’s relationship with Bangladesh across multiple sectors, including trade, commerce, sports, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
President Zardari was speaking at a reception held in honour of the Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams at the Punjab Governor’s house.
President Zardari said Pakistan’s government is trying to work together to build a stronger relationship with Bangladesh. “It cannot happen overnight but we need to keep investing in people and come up with solutions to take our relations to new heights,” the president said.
Recalling the past, President Zardari said he belonged to the generation that witnessed separation. “Today’s generation cannot feel the pain. We need to heal those wounds.”
“Just like Pakistan, Allah has also blessed Bangladesh with natural resources. There are vast opportunities for cooperation between the two nations. The younger generations of both countries need to increase connections, and sports serve as a bridge to foster ties.”
President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan businessmen wish to collaborate with Bangladeshi businesses, adding that the Pakistani government is also interested in working with the Bangladeshi government in the long run. “We have a bright future as two nations”, the President remarked.
The president eulogized the rich history of Bangladesh and its people, adding that the Bengali nation is one of the oldest and richest nations in the region and has a proud history.
“We must work for the welfare of the people of both countries and take joint steps that ensure prosperity for them.”
He also recognized the progress made by Bangladesh over the past 50 years, adding Bangladesh is a success story in the world both financially as well as in human resource capital and everybody knows. “Allah has given you strength financially and in the form of manpower,” he added.
Recognizing the transformative power of cricket as a sport which helps in uniting people throughout the world, he said “I am happy to host you all in Pakistan, in Lahore. And I hope that there will be many such trips”.
President Zardari also expressed the desire to visit Bangladesh, adding that he had not been to Dhaka for a long time.
He fondly recalled his student days at the Pitaro Cadet College and the lasting friendships he made during those days, adding that he was in close contact with Bangladeshi college friends even today.
President Zardari reassured the Bangladesh envoy to Pakistan of his full support in furthering the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.
The President hailed the Bangladesh cricket team for their immense talent and wished them a great future. He also lavished on the young Pakistan team and expressed the hope it will do well on the international front. “The world is young, you are young and it’s your time. We’ve seen our time, this is your time. All of you are going to see the future and I bless you and I hope that you’ll have an eventful good future,” President Zardari maintained.
Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, BCB cricket Operations Head Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, Advisor to Chairman PCB Amir Mir, team officials, and members of Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams also attended the function.
President Zardari met and shook hands with the cricketers and officials from both cricket teams.
The Bangladesh cricket team is in Pakistan to play a three-match T20I series and is due to play the third and last T20I on Sunday night.
The president lauded Pakistan’s cricket team’s performance in the ongoing cricket series. He noted that the Bangladesh cricket team is visiting Pakistan as ambassadors and has also displayed high-quality performance.
