The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Cambodia, Zaheeruddin Babar Thaheem, paid a visit yesterday to Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University to explore further opportunities for religious cooperation between Cambodia and Pakistan.
Ambassador Thaheem was welcomed to the University by Acting Rector, Venerable Yon Seng Yeath, as well as by professors and students.
The ambassador’s visit was aimed at encouraging university students – particularly those pursuing degrees in history, archaeology, art history, philosophy, religious studies, social sciences, international relations, cultural diplomacy, anthropology and related disciplines – to discover new topics related to the ancient Gandhara civilisation of Pakistan for their research thesis projects.
The ambassador also enjoyed friendly talks with Ven Yong Seng Yeath and faculty members. Their meeting focused on the recent visit by Ven Yong Seng Yeath to Pakistan and also discussed future strategies for more mutual collaboration.
The ambassador said that Pakistan is a young country, yet it is also a land of old civilisations, comparable in antiquity to the ancients of Egypt and Sumeria. Buddhism is a world religion that has inspired an entire civilisation, a religion whose footprints have crossed all the provinces in Pakistan including Gilgit-Baltistan, Baluchistan, Punjab and Sindh.
He added that the Buddhist heritage in Pakistan consists of several stupas and monasteries, which are largely concentrated along the ancient borders of ancient Gandhara in north-west Pakistan, although the archaeological relics of Buddhist civilisation can also be found in parts of Punjab and Sindh.
2023 marks the 70 years of cordial Pakistani-Cambodian relations. Pakistan has maintained an embassy in Phnom Penh since 2005, while Cambodia is represented by an honorary consulate in Lahore and an embassy in neighbouring India.
Since April 2004, Pakistan and Cambodia agreed together to foster and enhance multilateral relations for stability, peace and security across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the entire Asia Pacific region.
Source: Khmer Times
