Islamabad: The French National Day reception hosted by ambassador Marc Barety was an overcrowded affair since people belonging to various walks of life attended it in large numbers.
The guests kept discussing political situation prevailing in Pakistan with special reference to tension between the government and opposition. The guests were of the view that although the government has targeted all political leaders who are taking on its high ups on account of its follies, but it wouldn’t help the government since people are sick of government’s policies and especially dearness in the backdrop of ruling party’s tall claims in electioneering for brining prosperity once they come into power. The guests were surprised that the government is trying its level best to scandalise its opponents but losing at the faster speed its credibility since people are not prepared to believe in the government functionaries. The video of Judge Arshad Malik was widely discussed by the guests as they were kept guessing about the outcome of the tug-of-war on account of video tapes.
The guests kept on insisting that the government has no justification to keep retaining former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in prison any further. Some guests were of the view that the story regarding stated money laundering of Shahbaz Sharif in a British evening paper is a counter-step to ward off the impact of videos. Some guests intriguing told their fellow guests that more horrible videos will surface soon.
Federal minister Khusro Bakhtiar was the chief guest on the occasion while Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Dr. Najeeb Khaqan, Dr. Jehanzaib Khan, federal minister Sarwar Khan, Senator Anwar Baig, former federal ministers Engineer Balighur Rehman, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan, Anwar Saifullah Khan, Senator Usman Saifullah Khan, Fakhar imam, Additional Foreign Secretary Muhammad Aijaz Ahmad, former CJCSC General Ehsanul Haq Khan, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Senator Sherry Rehman, PIO Tahir Khushnood, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Dushka Syed were among the prominent guests. French ambassador Marc Barety in his speech working closely with German Embassy in Islamabad also referred to the long enmity between his country and Germany. He wanted to put it as a model for the ties between Pakistan and India without giving direct reference.
British High Commissioner Thomas Drew was quite jubilant about the winning of world cricket cup by his team and received felicitations from the guests profusely.