President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that Pakistan intended to forge strong bilateral relations with Bangladesh in all areas, including commerce, trade, sports, culture and people-to-people ties.
Speaking at a reception hosted to Bangladesh and Pakistan Men's cricket teams at the Governor's House here on Sunday, he said the Pakistan government was trying to work together to build a stronger relationship, adding that it could not happen overnight but "we need to keep investing in people and come up with solutions to take our relations" to new heights.
The Bangladesh cricket team is in Pakistan to play a three-match T20I series. Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, BCB Operations Head Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, team officials, and members of Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams were present.
Zardari said that Pakistan businessmen wished to collaborate with Bangladeshi businesses, adding that the Pakistani government was also interested in working with the Bangladeshi government in the long run. "We have a bright future as two nations", the president remarked.
Zardari eulogised the rich history of Bangladesh and its people, adding that the Bengali nation was one of the oldest and richest nations in the region and had a proud history. He also recognised the progress made by Bangladesh over the past 50 years.
"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. "Bangladesh is destined to progress and prosper and Pakistan will contribute as much as it can," he said.
Reminiscing on the shared history and pangs of separation as brothers, when the two brothers parted ways in 1971, Zardari said that the younger generation was not aware of the pain "we had gone through as the older generation", adding that we had broken each other's hearts in the past and there was a need to mend the hearts today". He stressed the need for reconciliation and mutual understanding.
Recognising 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".
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 Cadet College Petaro and the lasting friendships he made during those days, adding that he was in 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. He hailed the Bangladesh tigers for their immense talent and wished them a great future.
He also lavished praise on the young Pakistan team and expressed the hope they 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.
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