First Belgian chocolate shop in Islamabad

Belgian Ambassador Frederic Verhyden, his wife and the president of the Islamabad Foreign Women’s Association, Mookda Mairue, inaugurated L’Artisan, a new luxury chocolate brand made exclusively with Belgian Callebaut chocolate.

Mr Verhyden said: “Welcome to the unveiling of the first Belgian chocolate shop in Islamabad and what I am sure will be the first of many across Pakistan. For us, Belgians, chocolate is something very special, and not just because we export a lot of it, but because it is linked to our daily lives.”

He added: “Some of my earliest childhood memories are linked with chocolate; how we made chocolate mousse in the kitchen for example, or how I enjoyed a big box of chocolates after going to the movies.”

Lashley Anne Pulsipher of the Hashoo Group welcomed hundreds of guests from all segments of society to the grand opening at the Marriott Hotel.

She said: “I am often at a loss as to what hostess gift I can bring people and I am so happy to know where I can pick up a box of beautiful handcrafted chocolates to take when I am invited to someone’s house.”

Featuring a delicious array of pralines, truffles, caramels, and ganache, in white, milk and dark chocolate with hints of unusual flavours like sesame seed, cardamom, coffee, mango coulis, and others, the guests enjoyed the chocolates and red carpet arrangements at the event.

Nigerian armed forces day marked

Nigerian High Commissioner retired Maj Gen Ahsimiyu Adebayo Olaniyi and retired Brig Gen Nasiru Usman Muktar, welcomed a large number of guests to celebrate the Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day last week. The event took place at Islamabad Serena Hotel.

Pakistan’s chief guest was Vice Admiral Ather Mukhtar.

The event was attended by military and civilian guest, including members of the private sector’s business community, civil society, and fellow military attachés and civilian diplomats.

“There is closeness between Pakistan and Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with about the same number of inhabitants as Pakistan.

“The two countries play a key role in peace keeping missions worldwide. Therefore, it is also important to mark military events,” said a guest.

German envoy visits Rotary Club in capital

German Ambassador Martin Kobler was a popular speaker at Rotary Metropolitan Club in Islamabad last week. He spoke about his country in general and in particular the city of Hamburg, where the Rotary World Convention will be held in June this year.

Martin Kobler stressed the importance of the entrepreneurial spirit of Hamburg. He said that if one visits Berlin after a year or two, a few things may have changed; if one visits Munich, little if anything would have changed. But if one comes back to the dynamic melting pot of Hamburg, everything would have changed.

“One might almost be at a loss even finding the known city landmarks,” he claimed.

Mr Kobler said that Hamburg is particularly dynamic thanks to the fact that over a third of the inhabitants are foreign immigrants.

Ambassador Kobler welcomed Pakistanis to Hamburg in June.

A guest questioned the willingness of Germany to give visa to foreigners, but Mr Kobler said that his country, under the Schengen Visa system, was keen to welcome Pakistanis.

President of the Rotary Metropolitan Club Fakhira Khanam said she was pleased with the event.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2019