New Zealand PM attends Pakistan’s Independence Day celebration

AUCKLAND: Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon participated in a grand Pakistan Independence Day celebration held in Auckland on Saturday.

Also in attendance were Minister for Ethnic Communities Mark Mitchell; Leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, High Commissioner of Pakistan to New Zealand Faisal Aziz Ahmed and many members of Parliament.

Addressing the nearly 1000 strong gathering of Kiwi Pakistanis Prime Minister Luxon felicitated Pakistan on its 78th Independence anniversary.

Highlighting the long standing, warm and friendly relations between Pakistan and New Zealand, he lauded the contribution of the Kiwi Pakistani community towards New Zealand’s development.

Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in his address also appreciated the Kiwi Pakistani community’s role in contemporary Kiwi society, and the strength of Pakistan-New Zealand ties.

Earlier, in the presence of New Zealand leadership, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Dr. Faisal Aziz performed a symbolic flag hoisting ceremony, and gifted Pakistan-made shawls to the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

In his address Dr. Asif Khan, President of Pakistan Association of New Zealand (PANZ), the largest Pakistani community organization in the country, enumerated key activities of the organization, and its future plans.

Dr. Khan called on the two governments to work towards a strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of both countries and peoples. Besides flag hoisting, the event featured poetry recitals, cultural performances, video screenings, and national and patriotic songs.

A new interactive PANZ website was unveiled on the occasion. Participation by the New Zealand Prime Minister in an event marking Pakistan’s Independence Day was lauded as a special gesture of goodwill for Pakistan.

The event was hosted by the Pakistan Association of New Zealand (PANZ) with support from the Pakistan High Commission, the New Zealand Ministry of Ethnic Communities and numerous Auckland based Pakistani businesses.

It was part of a series of high profile events being held in various New Zealand cities to mark Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations.