'Mao architect of Pakistan-China friendship'

Speakers at a special event marking the 50th death anniversary of Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong lauded his historic contributions to China and the world.

The largely attended function was hosted by the Pakistan-China Institute, whose chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, delivered the keynote address.

In his keynote speech, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said Chairman Mao was among the three historical giants of the 20th century who shaped the course of history through their leadership and vision, the other two being the leader of the Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin, and the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Terming Chairman Mao the builder of new China, Senator Mushahid Hussain said that during the quarter century of his rule, Chairman Mao liberated Chinese peasants from feudalism, doubled life expectancy, increased the literacy rate from 20 per cent to 93 per cent, made China a nuclear power through indigenous efforts in science and technology and emancipated Chinese women, while ensuring food, clothing, housing and basic health facilities for all Chinese.

He thus laid the foundation of today's peaceful, prosperous and powerful China.