Diplomats attend annual mango party

Syed Zaheer Hussain Naqvi and his family hosted their annual mango party recently for diplomats and other guests.

Among the newcomers to Pakistan were Czech Defence Attaché Col Petr Uzsak and Stuart Zhang Sanping, a Chinese expert with a telecommunications company.

Authors Shireen Gheba and Shakil Chaudhry, who had met the newcomers at a Norwegian Friendship Association event a few days earlier, said they seemed happy to have attended the more informal gathering and had the opportunity to meet people as they had just arrived in Pakistan.

But, they added, Pakistan seems an easy country to come to. They said they had enjoyed all the different fruits Pakistan had to offer and learned that Pakistan is the world’s ‘Mango Land’.

The dean of the diplomatic corps, Turkmen Ambassador Atajan Movalmov, also attended the party, but skipped the mangoes because he had attended a mango festival in the city earlier. Instead, he enjoyed some dinner bites before leaving for a third event.

“Mango season is almost over,” said a local guest. “But we have many other events in the pipeline; Independence Day, inauguration of a new parliament and government and the big Eid, all in August,” she added.

Commendation certificates conferred

Japanese Ambassador Takashi Kurai hosted a reception at his residence to confer commendation certificates on behalf of the Japanese minister of foreign affairs.

The three recipients of this year’s commendations are Zafar Mahmood – visiting professor at the Japanese language department of the National University of Modern Languages, Pakistan Japan Cultural Association Vice President Toshiko Orita and former deputy resident representative of the JICA Pakistan office Mahmood A. Jilani.

Ambassador Kurai said the three individuals were being recognised for their contribution to the promotion of friendship between Japan and Pakistan.

“I congratulate each of the recipients for their invaluable contribution in raising the level of exchanges of culture or business between our two countries. The friendship between Japan and Pakistan is based on mutual trust, cooperation and understanding but it is not possible without the untiring efforts of people like Zafar Mahmood, Toshiko Orita and Mahmood Jilani,” he said.

“I am delighted and have the same feelings of happiness that I had when decades ago I was selected for a MEXT research scholarship by the Japanese government. Since then I have been trying my best to promote Japanese language, culture and studying in Japanese universities among the Pakistani people,” Mr Mahmood said.

Ms Orika, who has been teaching Ikebana in Pakistan for four years, said: “This is the most memorable day of my life and I look forward to further contributing to stronger Pakistan-Japan relations.”

Mr Jilani added that while working in JICA he explored opportunities and projects that could help the people of Pakistan through JICA funding. In 2011, he was received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan for his services during the 2005 earthquake 2010 floods.

Asma Jahangir scholarship awarded

At a ceremony in Islamabad last week British High Commissioner Thomas Drew awarded the Asma Jahangir scholarship to Sana Gul, who will be attending a masters programme in the United Kingdom.

The scholarship was established by the British High Commission in Pakistan on International Women’s Day 2018 in memory of Asma Jahangir, to honour the legacy of the great human rights champion.

The programme is part of the prestigious Chevening Programme, which awards scholarships to emerging leaders to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK.

Mr Drew said he was delighted to award the scholarship and wished Ms Gul a pleasant time in the UK as the first winner.

Ms Gul said she was indeed excited to have such a unique opportunity under the memorial flag of Asma Jahangir.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2018