RAWALPINDI: A warm and colourful welcome was given to President Nicolae Ceausescu on his arrival here this morning [Jan 8] for a five-day State visit to Pakistan, the first-ever by a Romanian Head of State.
As the special plane, which brought him from Bucharest, stopped and he stepped out, loud cheers went up from the crowd jam-packing the terminal’s building.
President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the First Lady greeted the Romanian President and Madame Ceausescu when they came down the stairs. A 21-gun salute boomed out to mark the Romanian leader’s arrival.
Airport ceremonies over, the President and his guests drove to the President’s Guest House in a limousine through the decorated route lined on both sides by cheering people. Among the crowd were Boy Scouts with bands, and people in colourful dress performing the “Luddi.”
The plane carrying the Romanian President and his 40-member entourage, landed at the Islamabad international airport at 9-55 a.m.
The two Presidents held their first round of talks this afternoon at the Presidency. Later, the President hosted a banquet in honour of the distinguished guest in the evening. This was followed by a cultural show in his honour at the Liaquat Memorial Hall. — News agencies
Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2023
