KARACHI: President Kwame Nkrumah was given a rousing welcome when he arrived in Karachi last evening for a brief stopover for talks with President Ayub Khan, while on his way to Hanoi. Thousands of people who had assembled at airport balconies, holding colourful banners, raised loud welcome slogans as the V.C-10 of the Ghanaian Airways, carrying the African leader, landed at 4.10 p.m. — 40 minutes behind schedule.

Ignoring protocol formalities and previous arrangements, President Ayub Khan was himself present at the airport to receive him. A contingent of the Armed Services of Pakistan offered him a guard of honour and a march past, to the accompaniment of a Naval Band.

Several groups of people, dressed in colourful costumes, played typically Pakistani music on conventional instruments and danced at the airport balconies. The large banners, prominently displayed at the airport building, contained slogans such as “long live Afro-Asian solidarity”, “long live Pak-Ghana friendship” and “long live Dr Nkrumah”.

The people lustily cheered as President Ayub Khan, wearing a dark suit and a Jinnah cap, arrived at the airport about 10 minutes before the Ghanaian plane landed. They again burst in loud slogans when the Ghanaian leader, dressed in a black tunic, emerged from his plane.

[Agencies add,] recording a message to Radio Pakistan, yesterday on his arrival in Karachi, President Nkrumah said that it was his old wish to visit Pakistan, but said this visit was too short. He expressed the hope that he would “find time to come here again for a longer time to discuss some of our common problems together with President Ayub”.

Dr. Nkrumah said he was overwhelmed by the reception he got at the airport. He wished the people of Pakistan happiness and prosperity.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2016