Tribute to Pakistan-China Friendship

A Perspective on 75 Years of Iron Brotherhood

I had the privilege of attending a seminar on June 2 commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan at the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Karachi.

As we gathered to mark this historic milestone, my heart swelled with pride, not just as a Pakistani, but as an alumnus of Zhejiang University (ZJU) in Hangzhou, one of China’s most prestigious institutions of higher education.

Seventy-five years. In the grand sweep of history, it may seem a fleeting moment, but for our two nations, these decades have woven a story nothing short of legendary. From the rugged passes of the Karakoram to the corridors of the United Nations, Pakistan and China have stood shoulder to shoulder through seasons of change and storms of uncertainty. We are not merely allies; we are iron brothers, bound by trust, respect, and an unshakable commitment to each other’s progress.

My own journey at Zhejiang University deepened this understanding in ways no textbook could. ZJU taught me the meaning of qiushi chuangxin (求是创新)– “seeking truth and pursuing innovation”. As I walked its historic campuses, surrounded by Chinese professors who treated me like their own and classmates who became family, I learned something more profound: the Pakistan-China friendship lives not only in treaties and trade figures, but in everyday acts of warmth and solidarity.

I recall my regular visits to the library, discussing politics and poetry with Chinese friends who already knew the names of our poets, such as Allama Iqbal. I remember my Chinese advisors, Prof. Zheng Kougen and Prof. Pan Yunhe, who worked tirelessly to help me navigate research challenges, saying with a smile, “Pakistan and China are one family”.

What has made these 75 years extraordinary? I believe it is respect. We have never lectured each other. We have never imposed conditions on our friendship. China’s development has inspired Pakistan, and Pakistan has remained a steadfast partner in China’s vision for a shared future. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is not just a network of roads and power plants; it is a promise kept. A promise that prosperity should be shared, that growth should lift neighbours together.

As an alumnus of Zhejiang University, I am especially proud that so many of Pakistan’s brightest minds have been shaped by Chinese universities. We return home not only with degrees, but with a deep, personal love for China– its language, its culture, and its people. We become bridges. And today, on this 75th anniversary, I call upon every Pakistani who has studied in China, and every Chinese who has worked in Pakistan, to speak loudly of this bond. Tell the next generation that true friendship is possible between nations– different in geography, culture, and faith, yet united in heart.

Since our childhood, we have heard these words: Pakistan-China friendship is higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the ocean, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel.

The next 25 years will take us to our centenary. Imagine what we can build together: green corridors, digital highways, joint laboratories, and exchange programs that make our students citizens of both nations. The foundation is solid. Now, let us raise the roof.

Now, on this 75th anniversary, I venture to add a few more:

·  Pakistan-China friendship is closer than brothers, more loyal than a shadow, more durable than the Great Wall.

·  This friendship is purer than a spring in the Karakoram, and brighter than the silk of Hangzhou.

·  Our relationship is more faithful than the monsoon rains, more unbreakable than the bonds of a shared library at Zhejiang University.

·  Our bond is warmer than the tea shared in Hangzhou, deeper than the roots of a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree.

·  Our friendship is not written in ink, but imprinted in granite. Not spoken in whispers, but echoed from the rooftops of Islamabad to the shores of Shanghai.

·  A friendship that asks no price, demands no proof, and bends but never breaks under the weight of the world.

I drank from the same well of knowledge as my Chinese brothers. That taste– of respect and shared dreams– is sweeter than any honor the world could bestow. As an alumnus of Zhejiang University, I wish to pay tribute to the Pakistan-China friendship. We planted a seed in 1951. Today, it is a banyan tree whose roots have crossed the Karakoram and whose branches shelter generations. We honor the vision of leaders who saw not borders, but bridges.

To our Chinese brothers and sisters: thank you for 75 years of standing with Pakistan. Thank you for your investments, your scholarships, your technology, and your trust. And to my Pakistani family: let us remain worthy of this friendship. Let us invest in our youth, in transparency, in the promise of CPEC, and in the dream of a regional future defined not by rivalry, but by cooperation.

The next 25 years will take us to our centenary. Imagine what we can build together: green corridors, digital highways, joint laboratories, and exchange programs that make our students citizens of both nations. The foundation is solid. Now, let us raise the roof.

 Pakistan Zindabad. China-Pakistan Dosti Zindabad.