Chairman Mao Zedong considered Pakistan a great country

Islamabad:  Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has said iconic Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong believed Pakistan is a great country.

Imran Khan quoted renowned Pakistani scholar the late Ashfaq Ahmad as saying that Chairman Mao Zedong described Pakistan a great country in his introductory conversation with him (Ashfaq Ahmad).

Addressing the passing out ceremony of the 44th Special Training Program of Pakistan Administrative Service, PM Khan remembered that Chairman Mao was impressed by the story of a Pakistani person, told by the then Chinese Ambassador to him.

“The Pakistani national, who used to play chess with the Chinese envoy in Karachi did not take water the whole day due to Roza (fasting) because of faith,” the Prime Minister quoted Ashfaq Ahmad as saying.

Referring to the conversation between Chairman Mao and Ashfaq Ahmed, PM Khan shared: “Chairman Mao was of the view that what a strength the nation will be having, which did not take water only because of their faith.”

The Prime Minister maintained that the strength of faith should never be underestimated. “One man with morality is an army,” he remarked.

Imran Khan recalled his cricketing period and mentioned that when he represented Pakistan in the World-XI, which defeated the West Indies and Australia, majority of the 11 winning players wanted the distribution of award money among the 11 players instead of the World-11 squad which consisted of 17 cricketers.

However, he underscored that the insistence of one cricketer Alan Knott for the distribution of the bounty among the whole squad embarrassed the others and made them accept his rightful opinion.

“Even if a one person is the on the right path, it has an impact. Right path is always difficult, but it is a path of respect,” the Prime Minister stressed.

Highlighting the vital role of morality and corruption in the success and failure of nations, he urged the civil servants to exhibit high moral standards in the line of duties for their as well as the country’s betterment.

“With a very good civil service, this country was moving on the path of becoming a great nation till 1960s. But then gradually, we moved towards other ways. When decline comes in morality, it also brings in economic decline”, he contended.

The Prime Minister argued that an eminent person always had dreams and ideals. “The man who first scaled the Everest Mountain had the determination to achieve that goal,” he stated.