KARACHI, Sept 8: Sindh Governor Mohammadmian Soomro has said that the friendly ties between Japan and Pakistan are growing further with the passage of time.

He was speaking at a dinner hosted here on Saturday by the Consul General of Japan — Kanji Hanagata — at his residence to celebrate the establishment of the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Sindh.

Soomro termed the formation of this body as a major step to help further enhance the friendly ties between the two countries. He said this was a befitting way of marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The governor said this cultural association would bring the peoples of the two countries even closer and foster cultural bonds and friendship.

About the announcement by the association for holding a cultural festival in Karachi next year, Soomro hoped that this would prove to be a historic event.

He also appreciated the idea of naming the festival as “Mount Fuji to Mai Kolachi.”

The Japanese consul general said that this body is another milestone established in the path of friendship between the two countries.

“The fact is that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan in 1952, our mutual affinity has been growing stronger day by day.”

The establishment of the association at the beginning of last year proved to be highly momentous in reviving business and trade relations between the two countries.

“I am sure you would all agree with me that to have stronger ties at the diplomatic, economic and other fronts of friendly relations, there is always a need to have highly productive cultural bonds between the counterpart nations,” he added.

Hanagata was glad that realizing the importance of this aspect of bilateral relations, a group of dignitaries came up with the idea of establishing a cultural association in Sindh —- a non-commercial and non-governmental organization with the objective to promote and enhance mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and Japan in such areas as contemporary and traditional culture, arts, education, sports and media, as well as conducting informative seminars and workshops.

The President of Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Sindh, Fatima Surayya Bajiya also spoke and introduced the office-bearers of the association. The dinner was also attended by Corps Commander Sindh Lt-Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi.—APP