On the auspicious occasion of the National Day of Pakistan, Pakistan’s Ambassador Muhammed Ayub expresses his heartfelt greetings to all Pakistanis in the Kingdom.
“March 23, 1940, was a momentous occasion when the Muslims of the sub-continent decided to establish a separate homeland and free themselves as an independent and sovereign country.
“Today, we pay tribute to the founder of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and all the leaders of the Independence Movement who united Muslims of British India and struggled for the creation of an independent Muslim state.
“The struggle culminated in the emergence of Pakistan on the map of the world on August 14, 1947.
“The government and the people of Pakistan celebrate March 23 every year with great spirit and enthusiasm, and this year is no exception.
“A flag-hoisting ceremony will be held at the embassy’s premises and Pakistani organisations in Bahrain will hold several events to mark Pakistan Day.
“I would like to especially mention that the Pakistani community living in Bahrain has donated blood to needy patients during a blood camp arranged at the embassy’s premises.
“Pakistan and the Kingdom of Bahrain enjoy long-standing ties, rooted in our common faith, and shared cultural and social values.
“With the establishment of the diplomatic mission of Pakistan in Bahrain in 1971, contacts between the two countries became more regular.
“High-level leadership visits and exchanges of military and civil delegations have been taking place since 1974.
“The high point of bilateral relations came when His Majesty King Hamad visited Pakistan in 2014.
“A former Prime Minister of Pakistan also paid a fruitful visit to Bahrain in December 2019 at the invitation of His Majesty, which helped a great deal in reinforcing our bilateral relations.
“Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had an important bilateral visit in July 2021 and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister attended the 48th Session of the OIC-Council of Foreign Ministers in March 2022 in Islamabad.
“In 2022, Pakistan imported goods and services worth more than $1 billion from Bahrain, with the total trade volume standing at around $1.3bn, highly in favour of Bahrain.
“Pakistan is the fourth-largest producer of milk in the world and one of the leading producers of high-quality meat and dairy products.
“Bahraini investors can join in building facilities for the storage, processing, packaging, and transportation of food to ensure a sustainable food supply chain.
“We invite our Bahraini friends to visit Pakistan and enjoy the scenic beauty, rich culture and hospitality. We also invite the business community to benefit from the vast potential of project investments in the tourism sector in Pakistan.
“For promoting people-to-people contacts, visa fee has been reduced, and for Bahraini travellers, there is a visa-on-arrival facility. Pakistan International Airlines and Gulf Air are operating and touching every major city in Pakistan.
“Recently Pakistan has increased the number of scholarships for Bahraini students to complete their higher education.
“Over 100,000 Pakistanis living in Bahrain are a great source of pride for us. They consider Bahrain their home and are known for their hard work, dedication, and loyalty. They are treated with respect and taken care of by the Bahraini government.
“On this day, we should reaffirm our national resolve to stand firm, strong and united against all challenges, and continue our journey on the path to making Pakistan a more prosperous and vibrant place for the next generation.”