PESHAWAR - President Dr Arif Alvi has affirmed Pakistan’s desire for a peaceful and prosperous nighbourhood.
Islamabad was on the threshold of change after defeating terrorism, he told a Nawroz function arranged by diplomatic missions in Islamabad.
Pakistan learnt a lot while dealing with the scourge of terrorism, he said, adding the world could amply benefit from its experience.
Alvi wished ‘Happy Nawroz’ to participants of the cross-cultural event, which was attended by representatives of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
All participating countries set up stalls of artifacts, cuisine and served guests with their traditional dishes. Alvi visited all the stalls, saying the festival showed flowers and children who exhibited their cultures through their performances.
The Central Asian states gave a message of peace, noted the president, who said a bright future awaited the region. Pakistan had also crusged terrorism and extremism, he claimed. (Pajhwok)