Indonesian embassy celebrates 77th Anniversary of Independence
Zubair Qureshi
Indonesia and Pakistan are fully aware of existing potential and benefits of cooperation and fortunately, both the countries are moving ahead by initiating various mechanisms, bilateral consultation forums, policy dialogue and trade promotion, thus strengthening people-to-people contacts and reaping more fruits from productive engagement.
Ambassador of Indonesia Adam M Tugio said this while addressing a reception marking the 77th Anniversary of the Independence Day of Indonesia.
Federal Minister for Industries & Production Syed Murtaza Mehmood was the Chief Guest on the occasion. He congratulated the Indonesian Ambassador for hosting a colourful event on his country’s Independence Day and underlined the strong bilateral and economic ties between the two countries.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the ASEAN Committee Islamabad (ACI) Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tien Phong, Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador of Turkmenistan Atadjan Movlamov, parliamentarians, representatives of business community, ambassadors, diplomats and the Indonesian nationals attended the reception held at Serena Hotel.
The Federal Minister thanked the Indonesian government for providing relief assistance to flood victims of Pakistan and acknowledged the Indonesian government’s help in handling the palm oil crisis.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed recalled the strong bond of friendship that existed between the founding fathers of the two countries—Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and President Dr Sukarno.
India gained independence from the Dutch Rule two years prior to Pakistan’s independence and the two countries almost started their journey of independence in the same period. However, today, Indonesia is progressing by leaps and bounds under the leadership of President Joko Widodo, said Mushahid Hussain whose father Col (R) Amjad Hussain Sayed had served in Indonesia as the first Defence Attache of Pakistan.
While expressing his gratitude to the guests, Ambassador Adam Mulawarman Tugio said the 77th Anniversary of Independence was a milestone for Indonesia and marked with significant political and economic achievements. Now, Indonesia is the world’s 3rd largest democracy and a country where Islam and modernity coexist and deliver to bring economic progress, he expressed.
“I take this opportunity to convey on behalf of the government and people of Indonesia, our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the victims of recent unprecedented flash floods in Pakistan,” said the Indonesian ambassador and observed one-minute silence in memory of the lives lost in floods.
