SARGODHA: Cultural Consular of Embassy of China and China Cultural Centre Director You-Yi inaugurated the first Pak-China Friendship Art Exhibition arranged by the University of Sargodha’s Institute of Art and Design and Pakistan Institute of China Studies (PICS) in collaboration with the Pakistan Council on China (PCC) at the UoS on Thursday.

Chinese Embassy Islamabad First Secretary Pan Yuqi, PCC President Ambassador Inamul Haq, Vice Chancellor Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad, PICS Director Dr Fazalur Rahman and Faculty of Agriculture dean Dr Muhammad Afzal also graced the event.

The exhibition displayed the visual art forms of young Pakistani artists comprising miniature, prints, calligraphy, sculptures, drawings, paintings and crafts, representing Pak-China friendship.

On the inauguration, the students presented tableaus, musical performances, cultural ramp walk, Chinese songs, speeches and declamations, highlighting the brotherly relations of China and Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr You-Yi expressed his happiness at being in Sargodha for the first time, especially seeing the work of the young artists who have wonderfully depicted the culture, history and strong bond of friendship between China and Pakistan. He appreciated the UoS for promoting and facilitating the activities related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and building collaborations with the universities and institutions in both the countries.

“Pak-China relations can truly be described as higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea and sweeter than honey,” said the Chinese diplomat who also called for a proposal from the UoS for establishing Confucius Centre in Sargodha to promote Chinese language and culture.

In his address, Ambassador Inamul Haq congratulated the UoS for holding the first national exhibition on Pak-China friendship and getting the youth ready to take the people-to-people relations between both countries to the new heights.

“Pak-China relations – formally established in 1951 – are getting stronger with every passing day.”

The ambassador, who served in China as the Pakistani ambassador in the 1990s, shared his experience of China with the students and urged them to learn more about the best friend of their country and equip themselves with necessary skills to take the maximum benefits from the CPEC.

Talking about the role of academicians and students in cementing Pak-China relations, Vice Chancellor Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed said its obligation of academics to bridge the gap between knowledge, culture and education between the peoples of both the states. He announced organizing the national exhibition of Pak-China friendship every year to provide the youth with opportunities to learn about China.

Dr Ishtiaq informed the ceremony that the UoS was collaborating with the Chinese universities in agriculture and it was going to sign its first memorandum of understanding in social sciences with China’s Peking University in the coming days.

At the end, You-Yi, Inamul Haq and Dr Ishtiaq visited the exhibition and distributed prizes among the winners.

The Chinese diplomats also visited the PICS and Citrus Research Centre and various other ongoing agricultural projects initiated with the support of Chinese institutes and scientists at the College of Agriculture of the UoS.

TWO KILLED: A man and his teenage daughter were killed during a robbery bid in the Muslim Town area of Farooqa, some 45 kilometers from here, in the early hours of Thursday.

Police said some unidentified armed robbers broke into the house of Muhammad Siddique and demanded money from him. They locked his wife and two daughters in a room and took him to the room where his 13-year-old daughter Marwa was sleeping.

Siddique denied having any money with him. At this, they shot him dead on the spot. When Marwa saw this, she raised a hue and cry and robbers opened fire at her also and killed her. They escaped after the crime. The neighbours arrived and set the wife and daughters of the deceased free. Police have registered a case against unidentified assailants.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2019