Hungary is grateful to Pakistani diplomacy for supporting the cause of the Hungarian revolution in the United Nations: Ambassador Fazekas
Ansar M Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: Jawad Sohrab Malik, Prime Minister Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis has said Pakistan and Hungary enjoy excellent relations adding these relations are poised to grow further even in the days to come.
Malik expressed these views while speaking as chief guest on the occasion of the National Day of Hungary. A large number of guests hailing from various walks of life attended the reception.
The chief guest further said that Hungary had supported Pakistan on all occasions especially on the issue of GSP Plus status. He hoped trade and economic relations would also be strengthened.
Ambassador of Hungary Bela Fazekas in his speech said, on the 23 October 1956 a student protest in Budapest turned into a national uprising against Communist dictatorship. The joy of freedom lasted only two weeks when the Soviet military aggression crushed the heroic struggle of the freedom fighters.
He added, it was only 33 years later Hungary regained its independence. After defeating the revolution of 1956 the so called “Hungarian question” was still on the agenda of UN General Assembly for many years.
‘Hungary is grateful to the Pakistani diplomacy for supporting the cause of the Hungarian revolution in the United Nations. In 1962 Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan the President of the General Assembly played an important role in forcing the Hungarian authorities to release hundreds of Hungarian freedom fighters from the prisons’, he added.
Ladies and gentlemen, although diplomatic relations between our two coutries are only 58 years old, the people-to-people relations between Hungary and this part of the subcontinent have started much earlier. The cultural and intellectual life of the 19th and early 20th century Lahore would not have been so rich and vibrant without the Hungarian artists, professors, doctors, orientalists who lived and worked there. A few years back our Embassy has started a project to make the Pakistani public realize the extent of the intellectual footprint of this humble Hungarian presence.
Ambassador Fazekas said, Hungary is not a big power. Neither politically, nor economically. But there is something, which gives us a soft power status, something we Hungarians are very proud of. Just three weeks ago two Nobel Prizes, one for Medicine and one for Physics were awarded to Hungarian Scientists.
The first one was the recognition of the mRNA molecule discoveries by a Hungarian lady professor that paved the way for COVID-19 vaccines saving the life of millions of people all around the word during the COVID pandemic. Since the introduction of the Nobel Prize, this prestigious prize was awarded to 19 Hungarian scientists.
This is quite remarkable for a country with a population of 10 million people. It is also the recognition of the high quality of the Hungarian higher education. Hungary is ready to offer this rich educational, academic and scientific background for everyone including young Pakistanis. Every year the Hungarian government provides 400 state sponsored scholarships to Pakistani students. Investing into knowledge and skills pays the best interest. You never know if there is a future Pakistani Nobel Prize winner among those currently studying with scolarships in Hungarian universities.
He said, the frequent political contacts, regular visits and meetings between our two countries provide a solid political basis for enhancement of our multilevel cooperation. In February 2023 we had the first ever visit of a Pakistani Foreign minister to Hungary. The minister was offered a podium to deliver his message in front of 130 Hungarian Ambassadors from all around the world. The visit created a new momentum for every aspect of our cooperation. Our trade has doubled in the last four years. There are more and more Pakistani-Hungarian joint ventures in the field of water management and agriculture.
The flagship of the Hungarian companies present in Pakistan is the MOL, which is one of the largest foreign investor in the oil and gas industry and the second largest producer of oil in Pakistan.
