ISLAMABAD – The first ever advocacy group, the “Association of Friends ofPakistan” was launched during a simple but an impressive ceremony held inthe Embassy of Pakistan in Paris the other day, says a press release ofEmbassy of Pakistan to France.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of people including formerFrench ambassadors to Pakistan, representatives of French companies doingbusiness in Pakistan, scholars, researchers, journalists and officials fromthe French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament.
Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of Pakistan to France, MoinulHaque termed the launching of this Friendship Association as a milestone inPakistan-France relations.
He stated that the association will bring together people from all walks oflife and would serve as an effective forum to strengthen the existingfriendly relations and to facilitate in further developing economic,cultural and educational linkages between Pakistan and France.
Mr Pierre Lafrance, former Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Mr ThierryPflimlin, President of France-Pakistan Business Council, Ms Aurore Didier,Head of France Archeological Mission in Pakistan, Dr Bruno Figadere, FrenchBiochemist, working with Pakistani universities, Mr Olivier Lapidus, Frenchrenowned fashion designer who helped to establish the Pakistan Institute ofFashion Design, Lahore and Ms Sonia Barbry, Deputy Director (South Asia) inthe French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also spoke on the occasion. Allspeakers welcomed this initiative and extended their full support to makeit a success.
The Association of Friends of Pakistan will be registered under the Frenchlaws and will have a bureau to manage its affairs. It will organize variousevents to promote relations between the two countries.
A presentation tracing 70 years of Pakistan-France relations was alsopresented on the occasion. – APP