Remarks by Ambassador Khalil Hashmi at Pakistan Civil Award Investiture Ceremony

April 16,2024

Your Excellency, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui, Chairman, China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), 
Madam Dr. Jiang Yili,
Distinguished guests,
Assalam-o-Allakium,
Dajia Hao!
 
On behalf of Pakistan Embassy, I extend you all a very warm welcome to Pakistan Civil Award Investiture Ceremony. And today’s ceremony is dedicated to conferring the Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam (crescent of the Great Leader) on Ambassador Luo Zhaohui. I am honoured to do this investiture on behalf of the President of Pakistan.
 
Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam is one of the highest civil awards of Pakistan. This is an honour given to individuals who exemplify the visionary principles of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founding father. This accolade symbolizes our deepest appreciation to the recipients for their exceptional contribution to Pakistan's progress and prosperity. This award is also an acknowledge of the dynamic leadership and foresight demonstrated by these outstanding individuals.
 
  Ambassador Luo is among such leaders, who has over the years proven to be a great friend of Pakistan. He remains our solid friend. Today, we honour him with one of the highest civil awards of Pakistan. Ambassador Luo, we are grateful for your outstanding leadership and your strong support in solidifying the iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China.
 
China-Pakistan relationship is truly an unparalleled friendship. It has stood the test of time. It has been nurtured by successive generations of leadership and people of the two countries. Ambassador Luo’s steadfast dedication has been instrumental in taking China-Pakistan relationship to newer heights, further deepening our mutual trust, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
 
Through his diplomatic skills and inspiring vision, Ambassador Luo has and continues to play a key role in advancing socio-economic development, regional peace and shared prosperity. Ambassador Luo remains one of the architects of promoting and expanding several socio-economic projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and GDI.
 
My early recollections of Ambassador Luo are from his tenure as the Ambassador of China to Pakistan, when I was posted here at the Embassy as a Counsellor. It was a very intense phase of our bilateral engagement. One indicator was the unprecedented frequency of high level visits from Pakistan to China.
 
Fast forward a decade or more – and that was my next encounter with Ambassador Luo, when under his watch, China was one of the largest contributors to 2022 flood relief efforts in Pakistan. My team in Geneva organized an international conference there to mobilize support where Ambassador Luo was again among the leading participants in terms of senior level presence and strong political and financial supporter. So, I have also been a witness to Ambassador Lou’s continued support for and solidarity with Pakistan.
 
Ambassador Luo Zhaohui's unwavering commitment and untiring efforts have served – and will continue to serve - as a beacon of inspiration, guiding us towards deeper cooperation and understanding.
 
As we honour Ambassador Luo Zhaohui with the Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam, we express our gratitude for his outstanding contributions and reaffirm our commitment to further strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and China.
 
Thank you.