ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday hosted a grand dinner in honour of the South Africa and Pakistan cricket teams.
The dinner was held at the PM’s House where Shehbaz greeted each of the guest and national team players individually.
The PM, while speaking on the occasion, welcomed the South African cricket players to Pakistan, saying that Pakistan and South Africa share excellent relations at various levels, and cricket is one of them.
Referring to the ongoing cricket series, he said that this series is a symbol of the deep sporting ties and mutual respect between Pakistan and South Africa, with the latter producing the best players of the world, the PM added.
Speaking of the Pakistani cricketers, the PM said that they are bringing pride to the nation through their remarkable performances, adding that he hope of the Pakistan team continuing to play the best way as in the past.
Shehbaz expressed best wishes to both teams and said that he had full confidence in the abilities of the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
He added that cricket is not merely a sport but also a means of connecting people across nations, fostering brotherhood, and promoting peace, and stressed the need to preserve the true spirit of the game. “Pakistan’s commitment to promoting global sports and maintaining a conducive environment for hosting major sporting events,” the PM added.
The guest team management and players also thanked the federal government and the people of Pakistan for their warm hospitality, saying that the series had been a memorable experience and that they had greatly enjoyed the enthusiastic support and appreciation from Pakistani fans.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and others were included in the dinner.