No power in the world can spoil the relations between Iran and Pakistan, said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday.
“The freedom of Palestine is the priority of the entire Muslim Ummah. The Iranian revolution has not ended yet,” he said in his address at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi.
Raisi was awarded the honorary degree of doctorate by the University of Karachi.
The Iranian president landed in Karachi on Tuesday after completing his Lahore trip where he visited Mazar-i-Iqbal and met with the province’s governor and chief minister.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Kamran Tessori received the Iranian president at the Karachi airport.
Thousands of policemen have been deployed in the city while the administration has declared a local holiday to avoid “inconvenience to the general public” during the foreign dignitaries visit.
Raisi would visit the Quad’s mausoleum and attend a ceremony at the University of Karachi where the varsity will award him an honorary doctorate.
Major roads in the city will remain blocked till 7pm, said the DIG and there were reports of mobile services suspended in some areas.
Raisi is on a three-day visit to Pakistan and arrived in the country on Monday. Earlier in the day, he visited Lahore. Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz received him at the Allama Iqbal International Airport. His visit is the first of its kind by any head of state after the February 8 general elections.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz welcomed Ebrahim Raisi at Lahore Airport. Maryam Aurangzeb and Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Uzma Bukhari were also present.
The Iranian president paid a visit to Allama Iqbal’s mausoleum, where he laid a floral wreath and offered fateha.
Raisi said that he did not “feel like a stranger at all” and that there were “special emotions and connection” with Pakistani people that kept the two nations connected.
“I wanted that a public rally be held so I could address the public but due to some reasons, the conditionalities were such that it could not be made possible,” he said.
“On behalf of the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I say my greetings to the people of Pakistan and Lahore,” Raisi said, appreciating the “revolutionary spirit” present in the people here.
He added that Allama Iqbal was an “extremely important personality” for Iran as he was a very inspirational person. He also praised the Pakistani people and government for the “stance taken with us [Iran] in a strong manner against Zionist forces”.
Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, the khateeb of Badshahi Mosque, offered special prayers for the enhancement of Pakistan-Iran relations and for the Palestinians in Gaza.
A guard of honour was given to the visiting President by the armed force of Punjab Rangers on the premises of the shrine.
He called on Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz in Lahore. They reaffirmed commitment to enhancing cultural exchanges and fostering people-to-people contacts, according to a statement.
The Punjab chief minister explained the measures taken in the province for socio-economic development and expressed a desire for close engagement with Iranian cities and provinces for mutual benefit and prosperity.
President Raisi appreciated the rich cultural history of the city of Lahore and expressed admiration for the poet of the East, Dr Muhammad Iqbal, who is revered in Iran as “Iqbal-e-Lahori”.
Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman also held a meeting with the Iranian president.
The governor underlined the deep historical, cultural and civilizational links between Pakistan and Iran.
President Raisi praised the city of Lahore for its beauty and cultural contribution and expressed a desire for enhanced people-to-people contacts with the people of Pakistan.
Today is a local holiday in Lahore while several roads in the city were closed due to security arrangements.
Due to the holiday, the courts and educational institutions are closed, and the papers and practical examination for intermediate have also been postponed, however, there is no holiday in the departments attached to the Punjab Civil Secretariat.
After Lahore, the Iranian President will go to Karachi, the visiting President will visit Mazar-e-Quaid, and will also have meetings with officials. Ebrahim Raisi will also go to Karachi University where he will be awarded an honorary doctorate.
