KARACHI: Cheen: Aaj aur Kal, a travel account describing the People’s Republic of China, by Professor Rehana Mughni, was launched at Karachi Gymkhana on Saturday.

The writer is a committed educationist engaged in some school projects. She retired as associate professor from the Sindh education department in the year 2000. Last year she visited China with the specific purpose to study the Chinese education system and the country’s pace of progress in the socio-cultural sphere.

Managing director of the Sindh Education Foundation, Prof Anita Ghulam Ali, chaired the proceedings. Chinese consul general Mr Sun Chunye was the chief guest. Cultural consul Mr Gu Hongxing also graced the occasion.

Prof Saher Ansari was the main speaker. The others were Mr Mahmoodul Aziz, Prof Afaq Siddiqui and Mr Jazib Qureshi.

Mr Aziz remembered his stay in China to represent his news agency in the year 1965, and found his Chinese hosts all-out supporters of Pakistan. China, he said, was a sincere and selfless friend, unlike us, “a friend when it stands in need.”

Mr Sun stressed bonds of friendship between China and Pakistan that share common mountains and rivers. The cooperation and relationship in the fields of education and culture was expanding, a matter of satisfaction, he said.

Prof Anita Ghulam Ali said that China was a role model of overall development for Pakistan. She expressed the need for more cultural exchange programmes between the two countries. She said the main characteristics of the Chinese people were sincerity of purpose, hard work and firmness of commitment.

Prof Afaq Siddiqui and Mr Jazib Qureshi referred to the passages from Ms Mughni’s books describing the fast development phase of China, their disciplined hard work and foresight.

The Chinese developed Hong Kong with miraculous speed much before it was handed over to them by the end of the last century, Prof Ansari said recalling the highrise and modern structures in the great country’s urban setting.

Prof Mughni spoke about the circumstances which led her to visit China; following Sir Syed as a role model who had gone to England to study its educational system, Prof Mughni was also in search of such methods which could promote education in her country, Pakistan.

At the outset president of Karachi Gymkhana, M Taqi Iqbal, presented the Gymkhana’s shield to Mr Sun Chunye. Dr Farhat Azeem did the compering.—HA