ISLAMABAD – China’s Sichuan Publishing Group presented 200 sets of KingGesar, an epic story of the East, to Pakistan as a token of the deep-rootedhistorical cultural ties between the two countries at a ceremony held atTsinghua University.
Pakistan Ambassador to China, Naghmana A. Hashmi, chief guest of the eventsaid she would present the precious collection to the National Library ofPakistan.
Due to geographic proximity, the culture, language, lifestyle andarchitecture of people living in Baltistan of northern Pakistan are similarto those of the Tibet ethnic minority in China. King Gesar is ahero-worshiped by Tibetan, as well as the Baltistan people.
It is said that Baltistan has passed down the Gesar tradition from history,and some local villagers can still sing “King Gesar” in its full lyricseven now, China Economic Net reported.
Ambassador Hashmi said, “Even before it was built in early 1950s,Khunjerab Pass was a popular route for trade and exchanges of culture andreligion between northern Pakistan and Xinjiang, China.†The people ofBaltistan used to connect with the Tibetan through the Pass.
She continued, “if you go to Baltistan, you could still see similarethnic groups with Tibetan, and even (hear) similar dialect.â€
The Epic of King Gesar got published in more than 100 Tibetan versions inChina, and the “Gesar epic tradition†was included in Lists ofIntangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2009.
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Preceding the ceremony, Ambassador Hashmi delivered a lecture titled“Pakistan: The land of Sufis, Mountains, Valleys, and Deserts†, in anendeavor to share the core spirit of Pakistan and its people. She provideddeep analysis of the unique geographic presence of Pakistan explained theconcept of Sufism that shape the characteristics of Pakistani and presenteda comprehensive image of the magnificent landscape, as well as economicstatus quo of all the provinces of Pakistan.
“Today’s Pakistan is a country in rejuvenation, rebirth, and a landfull of hope,†the ambassador mentioned because excellent young peoplewith knowledge and expertise are taking the tide, and especially, thebackbone of the Pakistani characteristics “Sufism†that containstolerance, love, understanding and humanism, is leading the nation forward.
“We are not fundamentalists through history, and it is such a basicspirit of Pakistan that has made it the only country in the world to havefought the scourge of terrorism.†The ambassador pinpointed.
To provide the audience with a more perceptual vision of Pakistan,Ambassador Hashmi displayed representative images of each province ofPakistan, from the magnificent mountains and glaciers to the breathtakingvast seas and azure blue lake, from the development of the primitiveagriculture to the emerging industries… It can be said that everyone in thelecture was impressed by such inclusive and in-depth presentation of acountry that no one would leave and say that Pakistan is not a beautifulplace full of hope.
Regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Ambassador Hashmi said, thefirst phase of CPEC has laid a solid foundation in terms of infrastructureand energy and the second phase would focus on economic zones and socialwelfare. She invited Chinese friends and international ones to relocateindustries, set up joint-ventures or invests in Pakistan.
