ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday extended felicitations to South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and the people of South Africa on the occasion of their National Day, observed annually on April 27.
In a message issued on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, President Zardari said Pakistan attached great importance to its cordial relations with South Africa, which were based on shared values, mutual trust and a common commitment to peace, development and multilateral cooperation.
The president, currently on a five-day visit to China, also recalled Pakistan’s principled stance during the apartheid era, noting that Pakistan had refused to recognise the apartheid regime as early as 1948.
He said the older generation still remembered the stamp on Pakistani passports stating “not valid for South Africa and Israel,” which remained in place until the end of apartheid in 1994.
President Zardari expressed confidence that the ties between the two countries would continue to strengthen in the coming years, bringing greater prosperity and well-being to the people of both nations.
