Royal visitor: Thai princess expresses solidarity with Pakistan

Assures Thai support in education, healthcare and social welfare.

PESHAWAR: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand said the Thai government was well aware of the sacrifices the people of Pakistan have made in the war against terrorism and it supports the principled stance and efforts of Pakistan’s government on this global issue.

She expressed these views while visiting the Islamia College University. The Prin­cess, who paid a visit to the provincial capital on Wednesday, appreciated the hospitality and bravery of the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and assured all-out support from the Thai government in the fields of education, healthcare and social welfare.

The princess also visited the Peshawar Museum, where she took a keen interest in the display of Ghandara’s Buddhist heritage.  Talking to reporters afterwards,
the dignitary expressed
her pleasure in visiting Peshawar. She added that she had prior knowledge of the city from her parents, who had visited Peshawar some 50 years ago.

Princess Sirindhorn was especially impressed with the Peshawar Museum, saying that artifacts of Gandharan art and culture were fully preserved at the facility. She extolled the virtues of preserving historical material and said the rich artifacts were of immense value to academics, historians and researchers.

In his opening remarks, K-P Minister for Sports, Tourism and Culture Syed Aqil Shah welcomed the royal guest and informed her that archeological sites in K-P have been placed under the provincial government’s control following the 18th Constitutional Amendment and it would do its utmost to preserve and promote the sites.

Princess Sirindhorn also called upon K-P Governor Barrister Masood Kausar at the Governor House later in the day.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2012.