High time to usher in new era of peace and stability: Pak envoy on national day

Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Monday said that his country is keen to settle all issues with India, including the disputed issue of Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue, and underlined the importance of both countries working together for both peace and development.

Congratulating all Pakistani nationals residing in India on the occasion of Pakistan Day, Basit presided over an impressive flag hoisting ceremony at the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi, and said that the creation of Pakistan within seven years of the passage of the 1940 Lahore Resolution reflected the wisdom and tenacity of that country's founding fathers.

"Under the impeccable and sagacious leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslims of the subcontinent realised their dream. It was now incumbent upon us to make Pakistan a truly welfare state as envisioned by Jinnah," he said.

Referring to Pakistan-India relations, Basit underlined the importance of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's vision of ‘Peace for development and development for peace’.

He added said that peace was in the mutual interest of Pakistan and India and that it was now high time to normalise relations and usher in a new era of peace and stability, enabling the two countries to address the challenges facing our region and exploiting myriad of opportunities unleashed by globalisation.

Earlier, Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan read out messages from the president and prime minister of Pakistan.

The students of the Pakistanhigh commissionSchool sang Pakistan national songs and presented a tableaux highlighting the struggle for the creation of Pakistan.

At the end of the ceremony, Summiya Basit, the high commissioner's wife, distributed gifts among the students.

Image: Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit in New Delhi