Italian Armed Forces Day celebrated

Italian Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo and Defence Attaché Col Giorgio Raino welcomed hundreds of guests to a reception at the Marriott Hotel to mark Italian Armed Forces Day.

The event, which was held in the crystal ballroom and attended by envoys, military attachés as well as local guests, included a pleasant musical performance by Italian vocalist Selvetore Ravalli and South Korean vocalist Ri Sook Lee. Their duet was a delight to the guests and the pride of the jovial Italian defence attaché.

“It was a particularly pleasant event, with culture both in the form of Italian music and food,” said a guest.

A foreign diplomat added: “It was a lighter atmosphere than usual, [and went] well with the beginning of the winter season and at the end of the week, when people are in the mood to relax in good company.”

The commander of the Naval Staff Strategic Forces Command Vice Admiral Shah Sohail Masood attended the event as the chief guest, accompanied by senior military colleagues.

Reception held to mark Turkish Republic Day

Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babur Girgin and his wife hosted a large reception to celebrate Turkish Republic Day in the gardens of their residence in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave this week.

The minister of defence, water and power, Khawaja Mohammad Asif was invited to the reception as the chief guest. During the reception, the ambassador read a message from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a video was screened throughout the evening that showcased locations and music from the country.

A Pakistani couple at the reception said they always enjoyed the annual Turkish events. At this time of year the weather becomes a bit chilly but this year it is milder than usual, they said, but added that they were glad a large canopy had been set up for the dinner.

— Text and photos by Atle Hetland & Shahbaz Chaudary

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2016