ISLAMABAD:
At a function organised by the Indonesian embassy to laud the historical services of their Father of the Nation, President Soekarno, the Chief Guest, Senator Mushahid Hussain, lauded Soekarno as a ‘hero of the Third World’.
Senator Mushahid Hussain, who spent his childhood in Jakarta as his father, Colonel Amjad Hussain Sayed, was Pakistan’s first Military Attaché to Indonesia, talked of Soekarno’s solidarity with Pakistan during the 1965 War with India.
He said President Soekarno was not only a great freedom fighter but also the architect of the 1955 Bandung Conference, which laid the basis of Asian resurgence, Afro-Asian Solidarity and Non-Aligned Movement.
Senator Mushahid Hussain later inaugurated the photo exhibition of historic photos of President Soekarno with world leaders. Hussain’s father, Colonel Amjad Hussain Sayed, was also honoured in the photo exhibition as he is the recipient of the highest Indonesian military award, Bintang Dharma (Star of Merit), conferred on him by President Soekarno in 1963.
Two photographs of Colonel Amjad Hussain Sayed were on prominent display at the exhibition, one of his meeting President Soekarno and the other receiving the Indonesian award.
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Later, Senator Mushahid Hussain joined Indonesian students studying at the Islamic University in Islamabad in singing an Indonesian song.
The Acting Ambassador of Indonesia, Yusran Hardomo, also spoke together with the head of the Indonesian Archives, Dr Imam, as well as National Library DG Asif Iqbal Khan and National Archives Director Dr Mazhar Saeed.
A cultural performance was also organised on the occasion with Indonesian cuisine served to the guests.
Exhibit on Soekarno’s legacy
Earlier, the Indonesian embassy in collaboration with the National Archives of Indonesia, the National Library of Pakistan, and the National Archives of Pakistan inaugurated today a week-long exhibition of “Soekarno’s Legacy in Building Stringer Bonds of Indonesia-Pakistan Brotherhood, National Library of Pakistan, 29 November –– 2 December 2023.
The main objective of the exhibition is to generate more awareness among the people of Pakistan about the historic multi-dimensional Indonesia-Pakistan relationship.
The exhibition showcases a compelling collection of photographs, videos, and letters, between the founding fathers of Indonesia (Soekarno) and Pakistan (Muhammad Ali Jinnah).
It offers a unique glimpse into the visits of President Soekarno to Pakistan in the 1960s, underlining the shared history that binds the two nations.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2023.
