PESHAWAR: A colourful and prestigious Independence Day ceremony organised by China Window at Governor House Khyber Pakhtunkhwa brought together national spirit, youth empowerment, sports, culture and the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi was the chief guest, while former world squash champion Qamar Zaman, senior journalist Arshad Aziz Malik, China Cultural Centre Advisor Bai Jie, Mr Chen Tian Tiang, senior civil and government officials, educationists, journalists, artists, sports personalities, students and recipients of presidential and national awards attended the event.
Students of Peshawar Model Educational Network presented an impressive performance on a patriotic song, receiving enthusiastic applause from the Governor and other guests. China Window Administrator Amjad Aziz Malik, in his welcome address, said Independence Day was a reminder of the sacrifices of the nation’s forefathers and the visionary leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said Pakistan’s greatest strength was its youth and stressed the importance of providing young people with quality education, modern skills, research opportunities and international exposure. Referring to Pak-China relations, he said the friendship between the two countries was deeply rooted in the hearts of their peoples. He said China Window, established in October 2018, had emerged as an important platform for promoting Chinese culture, language, development and awareness about CPEC in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Around 850 students have so far participated in its free HSK-1 and HSK-2 Chinese language courses.
During the ceremony, talented Peshawar student Hamza Ali was awarded a scholarship for higher education, and Governor Kundi handed over the scholarship documents. It was the seventh scholarship facilitated through China Window with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. Governor Kundi congratulated Hamza Ali and urged him to acquire modern knowledge abroad and return to serve Pakistan. In his address, the Governor said Pakistan was achieved through a long democratic struggle and immense sacrifices. He emphasised rule of law, respect for the Constitution, education, employment, women’s participation and national unity.
He described Pakistan-China friendship as unique and praised China’s cooperation in infrastructure, energy, education, science and technology. He said CPEC Phase-II offered major opportunities in industry, agriculture, IT, minerals, tourism and human resource development. Trophies and certificates were also distributed among participants and organisers of Pakistan’s first Dragon Boat Festival, held at Sardaryab on June 14, 2026. Another highlight was the launch of a new Pak-China friendship anthem produced by China Window in collaboration with PTV Peshawar. Amjad Aziz Malik thanked PTV Peshawar General Manager Ibrahim Kamal for his cooperation.
The ceremony concluded with the cutting of an Independence Day cake by the Governor, Chinese guests, China Window representatives and other dignitaries, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening Pak-China friendship through education, culture, sports and people-to-people contacts.
