Speakers from a Pakistan, South Korea Friendship moot have expressed their concerns over the development and test of a hydrogen bomb by North Korea, urging the world community to take prompt action to discourage the vicious programme, making the Korean peninsula ‘nuclear-free’.
The dinner was hosted in honour of Dr Song Jong-Hwan, ambassador of South Korea to Pakistan by Pakistan, South Korea Friendship Society.
Addressing the audiences, Dr Song said that the leadership of Pakistan and South Korea had expressed their concern over the recent detonation of Hydrogen bomb by the North Korea. He said that the test had posed serious threat not only for the East Asian countries but to the whole world.
“South Korea and North Korea had signed a treaty back in 1985 with all parties not to pursue the nuclear weapons for the greater good of the region. However, North Korea did not keep its promise,” said the ambassador, adding that nuclear weapons were a great threat for the human beings and the race for acquiring deadly weapons must be discouraged by the world community.
“We should all live peacefully with each other and agreements must be kept and abided by all countries. States must honour the commitments they made or else our world can never become peaceful,” he added. Expressing his views on Pakistan, Korea bilateral relations, Dr Song Pakistan and South Korea had exceptional relations in the fields of trade, infrastructure development, human resource development and technology transfer relations.
He said Pakistan and Korea were working to sign Pak-Korea Free Trade Agreement which would largely boost the bilateral trade. He said that Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir was playing a key role in this regard.
The ambassador said that the enormous opportunities that need to be explored further in order to upgrade and enhance the trade and cooperation between two countries and trade is in decline and has suffered greatly in recent years due to free-trade agreements. Dr Song reiterated his full support for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
Chief guest of the event, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that Korea and Pakistan shared same views over regional and national issues. He said the nuclear weapons were no solution of conflicts and dialogue was the only way forward to resolve issues.
Crediting Pakistan-Korea Friendship Society for help reviving bilateral relations between the two countries, Sadiq said the society had the credit for boosting the bilateral ties. He said that Sajjad Afzal Cheema, the President of Pak-Korea Friendship Society, has reactivated the Pak-Korea Friendship Association.
He also shared his personal contributions in formation of friendship parliamentary forums in the parliament. He said around 50 parliamentary friendships groups are now working vigorously to represent the true picture of Pakistan to the world. Sadiq said that he had invited the speakers of the parliamentary delegations from across the world and till date eight speakers from various parliaments have visited Pakistan.
He said that more and more parliamentarians around the world are now coming to Pakistan. The speaker concluded his speech by emphasising a positive and responsible role to be played by the media and the need to learn from each others’ experience.
Sajjad Afzal Cheema, President of Pak-Korea Friendship Society, said that hydrogen bomb test by North Korea had jeopardised the security of the entire East Asia and Asia region. He said that the world community should move to isolate North Korean leadership.
He said South Korean ambassador Dr Song had played an important role in boosting bilateral ties. He said that Korean Film Festival, Korean Food Festival and screening of Korean dramas in Pakistan were major achievements of Dr Song.
