PESHAWAR: Provincial Minister for Culture and Labour Shaukat Yousafzai said here on Wednesday that Pakistan and Iran were brotherly neighbouring countries having strong ties based on cultural and traditional values and bilateral trade.

He inaugurated Pak-Iran friendship wall during an exhibition in Khana Farhang-i-Iran on the occasion of 42nd national day of Islamic Republic of Iran.

He said that inauguration of friendship wall was a good step towards cementing the relations between the two brotherly countries.

Iranian Consul General in Peshawar Hamid Raza, Iranian Cultural Centre Director Mahran Sikandaryan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Director General of Culture and Tourism Authority Kamran Ahmad Afridi and others were also present on the occasion.

The minister said that the two countries had many similarities in their cultures, traditions, heritage and history.

He said that besides culture, Pakistan and Iran could also boost trade through people-to-people contacts.

Mr Yousafzai said that launching cultural exchange programmes for the youth of both the countries would pave the way to cement relations between them.

On this occasion, Iranian Consul General Hamid Raza asked the minister to help him arrange cultural exhibitions in Nishtar Hall and elsewhere in the province to promote the cultures of the two friendly countries.

Iranian cultural items, handicrafts, photo show of cultural and tourism potential and Iranian cultural film were also displayed at the exhibition.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2021