Mushahid acclaims Indonesian President Soekarno as Pakistan’s great friend, ‘Third World hero’

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed Wednesday acclaimed the Indonesian President Soekarno as a great friend of Pakistan and lauded him as hero of the third world at a function organised by Embassy of Indonesia to laud the historical services of their Father of the Nation.

He attended the ceremony as chief guest, a news release said issued here. The Senator who spent his childhood in Jakarta as his father, Colonel Amjad Hussain Sayed, was Pakistan’s first Military Attache 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.

The Senator later inaugurated the photo exhibition of historic photos of President Soekarno with world leaders. Senator Mushahid 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.

Later, Mushahid Hussain joined Indonesian students studying at the Islamic University in Islamabad in singing an Indonesian song. Acting Ambassador of Indonesia, Yusran Hardomo also spoke together with the head of the Indonesian Archives, Dr Imam, as well as DG National Library, Asif Iqbal Khan, and Director, National Archives, Dr Mazhar Saeed. A cultural performance was also organised on the occasion with Indonesian cuisine served to the guests.