Our friendship is here to stay, Nahyan tells Pakistanis
MINISTER LAUNCHES JUNIOR BRICK INITIATIVE AND HONOURS EMIRATI AND PAKISTANI ACHIEVERS
Continue championing the enormous potential and values of your people and country, Pakistani expatriates were told on Tuesday as they celebrated 71st Independence Day.
Pakistani expatriates gathered at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) auditorium for the celebration jointly hosted by the Pakistan Embassy and PAD.
Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, was the chief guest at the event hosted by Pakistan Ambassador Moazzem Ahmad Khan and PAD officials.
Pakistan’s Consul-General Brig (Retd) Syed Javed Hassan, Dr Faisal Ikram, president of PAD, and Dr Omar Al Muthanna, CEO of the Social Regulation and Licensing Sector at Dubai’s CDA, were among the senior officials present.
Dr Al Muthanna was among Pakistani and Emirati community members honoured with the Pakistan Day Awards for their achievements.
During the ceremony, Shaikh Nahyan also launched the ‘Junior Brick’ campaign where children get to symbolically own a brick as contribution to the building of the Pakistan Medical Centre in front of the PAD auditorium. A child can own as many bricks as he wants, with each brick costing Dh100.
The not-for-profit health ■ care facility has partnered with Dar Al Ber Society.
In his address, Shaikh Nahyan thanked the 1.4 million Pakistani expatriates for their contributions to the UAE. “Our country is proud to count the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a great friend and our friendship is here to stay. You have shared in and contributed to the UAE’s prosperity. Our country is grateful to you,” he said. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■