The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage and the Mauritius Film Development Corporation launched the Pakistan Film Festival, on Friday 02 September 2022, at MCine in Trianon. The launching was done in the context of the Pakistan Week 2022 being held from 02 September to 08 September 2022.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, the High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Mauritius, Mr Muhammed Arshad Jan Pathan, and other personalities were present on the occasion.
At the outset, the President expressed his pleasure to participate in the official launch of the Pakistan Week in the context of the celebrations of the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Mauritius. “While we are tonight gathered to mark this important milestone, our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Pakistan who are facing unprecedented devastation following the worst floods that the country has ever experienced,” he pointed out.
President Roopun underscored that cooperation with Pakistan has also been very important in promoting the Urdu language and Pakistan has been contributing in the education as well as the health sector through the provision of scholarships and medical treatments. “This special relationship is founded on historical and cultural affinities, as well as common values and interests,” he added.
Furthermore, Mr Roopun indicated that cooperation between our two countries has been enhanced through the number of wide-ranging Memoranda of Understanding concluded, namely on: trade, culture and, sports over the 55 years of diplomatic relations. “Mauritius and Pakistan share excellent bilateral relations, which are based on friendship, mutual respect, peace and development,” the President stressed.
On this note, Mr Roopun encouraged the population to enjoy the activities being organised, as these contribute in enhancing people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
For his part, the High Commissioner recalled that the events are being organised to promote, notably, Pakistan’s and Mauritius’s cultural relations, people to people contact, arts, literature, music and sports, among others. “This is just a start of a series of event that the High Commission intends to organise every two or three months for entertainment and for the benefit of the people of Mauritius,” he announced.
High Commissioner Pathan also spoke of the floods currently affecting nearly two third of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and reiterated his full support to his compatriots. On this score, he informed that tickets for all the Pakistan Week events have been waived off. Mr Pathan also made a request to the Mauritian people to donate generously so as to raise funds to support Pakistan.
