Your Excellency
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me immense pleasure to extend to you my warmest greetings on the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Traditional Spring Festival.

Let me, at the outset, thank our Chinese friends who have invited us today for this wonderful cultural evening.

The Chinese civilization has contributed enormously to the global culture through its ingenuity, richness, sagacity and diversity. The strength of China today is a manifestation of the work ethics and traditions instilled through their culture and history.

Pakistan and China enjoy historical and cultural links dating back to the Gandhara civilization. We are committed to promoting and deepening our fraternal ties, including in the area of culture and people-to-people contacts. I am confident that the establishment of Pakistan-China Cultural Centers, both in Islamabad and Beijing, as well as the four Pakistan Study Centres established in China, will act as catalysts in taking our bilateral relationship to new heights.

Pakistan would also be participating in Shanghai EXPO later this year. The EXPO would showcase the genius and development of the Chinese nation, and we hope that our participation would open new avenues of bilateral cooperation.

We are laying great emphasis on people to people contacts, and in this context, exchange of visits of youth delegations, as well as frequent contacts between the literati, the think tanks and the political parties of the two countries are important components of our bilateral equation.

As for the bilateral political relationship, we all know its unique and multidimensional nature. It spans a vast spectrum of political, strategic, defence, economic and trade areas. We enjoy complete unanimity of views on a range of issues of regional as well as international importance. One of the hallmarks of our relationship is that it is characterized by frequent High-Level exchanges. The President has paid four visits to China, and the Prime Minister three, in the last two years. To take this tradition forward, I would myself be traveling to China shortly to reaffirm our strategic partnership.

I am also happy to note that trade and economic relationship is fast becoming the centerpiece of our bilateral relations. This trend needs to be sustained and further strengthened.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the end, let me once again thank and laud the efforts put in by the Chinese Embassy and PFOWA in organizing this wonderful event, and wish our Chinese friends a happy and prosperous New Year.

Dear Students, What is Pakistan’s reality? I know you have certain notions. A country perhaps on the brink of implosion. Terrorism, extremism, suicide attacks and bombings. Perhaps a failing State. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Let images not blind your perceptions. Pakistan today is neither failed nor failing State. The Pakistan of today vindicates the strength of democracy. And its ability to bring out the best of a people in the face of adversity. You see the resilience of a nation; Its determination to chart its own destiny. True a handful of terrorists have challenged the State of Pakistan. And sought to impose upon it, their nefarious agenda. The democratic Pakistan has risen to the challenge.

Pakistan’s democratic transition has been of fundamental significance to the country, the region and the world. The elections of 18 February 2008 were nothing short of an electoral revolution. That returned to our people their voice, and to their dreams a future. With the induction of a democratic government, and the election of a civilian Head of State, a fundamental transformation is underway. This transition is informed by a cardinal principle that the Government of the Pakistan People’s Party has been pursuing. That principle is the gift of our great leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. The principle of reconciliation, of deference to differences, of consensus building, of transparent decision making and of rule of law. While this transition is a work in progress, we have achieved measurable benchmarks. Allow me to place before you, ten important benchmarks:

Thank You