Danish envoy satisfied with Pakistan ties

LAHORE

Deputy Head of the Royal Danish Embassy Mr Jakob Rogild Jakobsen, while expressing a sense of satisfaction over the growing ties between the two decades old friendly countries, has said that Pakistan and Denmark have a longstanding bond of friendship spanning over three decades.

This was the impression of the Danish Diplomat, who was in town on a short visit, while talking to The News. He pointed out that Pak-Danish relations span over many decades and both the countries enjoy a longstanding bond of friendship. He said "Pakistanis are a very friendly and a hospitable nation, I am very proud of the development efforts by Denmark in Pakistan since we are doing a lot in this regard in the form of many development projects for our mutual benefit. He added that the Government of Denmark had provided a significant amount through DANIDA for development assistance programme to Pakistan. He maintained that the Danish government had been more active in various fields in Pakistan since 2007. He told that the internationally renowned shipping Company Maersk Line and Novo Nordisk and many other Danish companies have been actively working in Pakistan since the 80's.

Expressing a sense of great satisfaction over the growing cooperation between the two friendly countries in many fields, Mr Jakobsen told that since the elimination of energy crisis is priority on the Pakistani government's agenda; therefore, there has been a highly significant breakthrough in this regard in the shape of the 2.2 billion dollar worth wind power project at 'Rojhan', in South Punjab by Vestas, with the facilitation by the Embassy of Denmark, which is big project for both countries and for the people of the area and would cement the socio-economic ties between the two countries. He said "we have good relations with Pakistan and have taken many confidence building peace efforts along with Pakistan Maritime Security Agency". The worthy diplomat informed the cooperation in the field of trade and dairy field would be improved between the two countries to cement the already existing friendly relations.

The Deputy Head of Mission said that due to a limited people to people contact between Pakistan and Denmark, there had been a lack of information about each other in past; however, the Danish envoy added, the field of activity between the two countries was being broadened on many levels, including, trade & economy, education and culture with a special emphasis on culture and education in the future. He said that many programmes were being devised and out in place for the support of free media, exchange of knowledge and broadening of people to people contact so that the people of both countries could forge a better and positive understanding about each other's peoples and their culture.

The Danish envoy expressed a great sense of shock and grief over the death of a large number of innocent Pakistanis in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park bomb blast and added that the people of Denmark also shared the grief of their Pakistani brothers and sisters in this heinous act of terrorism against humanity. He said that the stereo-typed approach towards Pakistan as a hard and dangerous country was quite unfounded when one would see Pakistan with his own eyes. Therefore, the Danish envoy added, there is a need for expanding the people to people contact and also to expand friendly ties through media and cultural exchanges.