https://twitter.com/home https://www.facebook.com/Shabbir.Hussain191By Shabbir Hussain
ISLAMABAD, Nov 29 (Alliance News): Romania celebrated its National Day in Islamabad on Thursday with an elegant diplomatic reception that highlighted the enduring strength of Romania–Pakistan relations and reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
The event hosted by the embassy of Romania led by Romanian Ambassador Dr Dan Stoenescu, the reception commemorated the Great Union of 1918 and marked 61 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The event drew a distinguished gathering of ambassadors, military attachés, senior government officials, and members of the political leadership, including the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federal Minister Hanif Abbasi, who also addressed the audience.
Ambassador Stoenescu warmly welcomed the guests and described Romania’s National Day, observed annually on December 1, as a moment of unity, history and forward-looking partnerships.
He praised the steady expansion of bilateral ties and noted that Pakistan had become an increasingly important partner for Romania in South Asia.
Reflecting on the past six decades, the envoy said the relationship had evolved into a broad-based partnership covering political, economic, cultural, educational and defence cooperation.
He highlighted that over the past year, Romania had significantly increased its engagement in Pakistan through diplomatic outreach and institutional linkages.
Earlier this year, Romania opened its Honorary Consulate in Peshawar, deepening its presence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Preparations were under way to establish two additional honorary consulates in Karachi and Lahore, expanding accessibility and strengthening regional partnerships.
Ambassador Stoenescu shared details of his extensive travel across Pakistan, including visits to Karachi, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, which he said had helped strengthen trade, investment and business connections.
He underscored that Romania sees tremendous potential in Pakistan’s emerging markets and vibrant entrepreneurial landscape.
A major highlight of the year was the first-ever Romania–Pakistan IT Forum, which brought together more than 100 companies from both countries.
The ambassador described the forum as a landmark initiative aimed at boosting collaboration in technology, digital innovation and software development, enabling new opportunities for businesses and professionals.
In the defence sector, bilateral engagement continued to grow through high-level exchanges and enhanced military dialogue, reflecting mutual commitment to regional stability and global peace.
Cultural and academic ties also expanded, with new partnerships established between Romanian universities and Pakistani institutions such as NUST, GIFT and NUTECH.
The establishment of Pakistan’s first Romanian language lectorate at NUML, headed by Dr Oana Ursache, was described as an important milestone in fostering deeper academic and cultural understanding.
This year also marked the successful launch of the inaugural Romanian Cultural Days in Pakistan, held in Karachi and Islamabad.
Featuring film screenings, art exhibitions and musical performances, the cultural festival showcased Romania’s heritage and diversity while strengthening people-to-people bonds.
Federal Minister Hanif Abbasi, addressing the gathering, praised Romania for its longstanding friendship with Pakistan and expressed appreciation for its continued support in areas of education, technology, trade and defence cooperation.
He said Pakistan regarded Romania as an important European partner and looked forward to developing enhanced cooperation, particularly in emerging sectors such as information technology and renewable energy.
The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, present at the reception, also commended Romania’s engagement with the province through the newly established honorary consulate and welcomed future collaboration in investment, vocational training and cultural exchanges.
He said the Romanian presence in KP would help strengthen business and development opportunities for the people of the region.
Turning to global affairs, Ambassador Stoenescu spoke about the evolving security landscape in Europe, especially the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
He noted that Romania, as the NATO member state with the longest border with Ukraine, remained vigilant following repeated drone attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube.
He welcomed NATO’s measures to reinforce security along the Eastern Flank and stressed that violations of allied airspace should never be normalised.
The ambassador reaffirmed Romania’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine in defending freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
He also reiterated Romania’s strong support for the European Union aspirations of the Republic of Moldova, which continues to face hybrid threats amid regional tensions.
As the reception concluded, the envoy expressed optimism about the road ahead, saying that Romania and Pakistan were ready to seize new opportunities, deepen cooperation and build an even stronger partnership for the future.
