Ambassador U Win Myint hosted a large reception to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the independence of the Union of Myanmar last Friday.

The chief guest on the occasion was Minister for Food Security and Research Sahibzada Mohammad Mehboob Sultan. He underlined the importance of good relations between Pakistan and Myanmar.

In his speech, Ambassador Myint explained that Myanmar lost its independence in 1885 only be regained, after three wars, on Jan 4, 1948 when independence was negotiated with Britain. The architect of independence was General Aung San, the father of Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the current state counsellor, a position akin to a prime minister.

The ambassador said: “It is our belief that we will be able to meet and overcome the difficulties and crises we are currently facing by holding on to truth and justice as well as by cooperating with the international communities. The government and its people are determined to build a peaceful, modern, prosperous and genuine democratic federal republic, which is the dream of the fathers of our independence and which is what our people desire.”

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2019