PESHAWAR
The High Commissioner of the South Africa High Commission Pakistan Mthuthuzeli Madikiza has said that soon a Youth Exchange Program between South Africa and Pakistan would be launched that would be named after two prominent leaders of this century Nelson Mandela and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The aim and objective of launching the Youth Exchange Program with the name of Nelson Mandela and Quaid-e-Muhammad Ali Jinnah is to give awareness to our coming generation regarding the struggle made by these leaders for their peoples at one hand and on the other hands youth to youth contact would further cement bilateral ties between two brotherly countries South Africa and Pakistan.
He said this while talking to former national footballer and Convener of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan (FPCCI), Afghanistan and Central Asian States Shahid Khan Shinwari, who called on him regarding extending bilateral trade ties, business to business contact and youth and sports exchange program.
Foreign relations between South Africa and Pakistan have existed since long and have recently grown with important trade ties developing along with other inter-government communications.
The two cordially discussed ways and means regarding strengthening the trade ties besides youth-to-youth exchange program and help each other in the sports sectors.
H.E the High Commissioner Mthuthuzeli Madikiza during the meeting also offered that South Africa would provide experts for the promotion of football in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular and in the country in general.
By expressing solidarity with the flood victims, H.E The Mthuthuzeli Madikiza appreciated Legends of Pakistan and Shahid Khan for holding a football match for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in Landi Kotal, Khyber District and Peshawar Sports Complex wherein national and international footballers participate.
“It is very good that the whole of the football family is extending solidarity with this football match in this hour of need,” Mthuthuzeli Madikiza, who is himself a good footballer, said. He said Pakistan and South Africa are enjoying well established Diplomatic Relations.
Mthuthuzeli Madikiza assured Shahid Khan of visiting Peshawar to express solidarity and sympathy of the people of South Africa to our brothers and sisters who were affected by the recent flood.
Shahid Khan Shinwari, a former national football player, said that the two countries have developed a strong relationship, which is based on mutual trust, respect and cooperation. Underlining that warmth and cordiality characterized the Pakistan-South Africa relationship, he highlighted the growing linkages between the two peoples.
He emphasized that structured engagement should continue to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. He stated that there were massive opportunities to collaborate in the fields of agriculture, pharmaceutical, information technology, gemstone, sports and goods, cotton, leathers and materials and youth exchange and tourism firms. He wished success and prosperity to South Africa in its path towards peace and development.
The South African High Commissioner remarked that the two sides have been able to maintain a positive trajectory in sustaining high level interactions and cementing cooperation in diverse spheres, including political, economic and agriculture, sports and youth to youth exchange program besides the youth of South Africa would come to play side-by-side with Pakistani youth in different games particularly football.
He said, South African world famous cricketers and football stars have more fan following and the people of Pakistan, specially the youth love to watch these stars in action. Shahid Khan during his meeting also invited him for the forthcoming International Football match to be played for fundraising for flood victims. Shahid Khan informed the envoy that the match is aimed to raise funds for flood victims.
The High Commissioner of South Africa in Pakistan Mthuthuzeli Madikiza appreciated his efforts to provide relief to the flood victims, and said that to collect funds for the flood victims would certainly help the people in this hour of need.
The football match would not only promote the sport on one hand besides helping the flood victims on the other hand, Mthuthuzeli Madikiza said.
He said relations between Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Pakistan and Nelson Mandela’s South Africa are cordial and go back more than six decades as since its independence. He said when Nelson Mandela visited Pakistan way back 1992, he was so delighted and loved by people here.
Nelson Mandela had a love and respect for Quaid-e-Azam as when he landed at Karachi, he forthwith proceeded directly to Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum, before state level protocol in Islamabad with Acting President Waseem Sajjad.
He recalled that former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela visited Pakistan in October 1992 and May, 1999, and was awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan. Shahid Khan thanked the High
Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa and invited him to visit Peshawar for the flood relief match in Peshawar Sports Complex.
