Chinese Respectabe Friend

 I was a school student in early fifties when Mr Zhou Enlai the first Premier of Peoples Republic of China visited Karachi as the Capital of Pakistan. All the schools were briefed that to receive Mr. Zhou Enlai at the Air Port all the students must wear black Sherwani, as in those days it was a popular and respectable dress of Pakistanis, on the other hand Mr. Zhou Enlai was wearing a Chinese coat which very much resembles the sherwani. Thousands of school children were present at Karachi Airport to receive the Premier Zhou Enlai. It was really a great reception, historically acclaimed. In those days the rout to the Governor General's house was used from Airport to Drigh road Railway station then through Dalmia Cement Factory to New Nomaish presently New Town Police station then via Jamshed Road to Gru Mandar and then Mazar-e-Quaid and then straight to Victoria Road presently Abullah Haroon Road at the start of this road the Guests were transferred to six horses Buggy and then they were taken with full of protocol to the Governor Generals House, Perhaps this route was in use because this was the only well populated area at that time, only from Dalmia Cement to Numaish it was small area not populated but it was so arranged that from the Airport till the destination the roads were full of the people both sides and they were waving their hands for Mr. Zhou Enlai and he was replying them with pleasure and joy. Pakistan is the first Muslim country and third non communist country who recognized Peoples Republic of China as an independent country in May 1951. Since then Pakistan and China are good friends and China has helped Pakistan in many aspects.

I visited China many times, and found Chinese very much loving Pakistan and its population, this is not a political show business but it can be seen that Chinese really love with the core of their heart. I could not conclude that how the entire population of China is given this Love or training to love Pakistan and its people. In the war of 1965 Chinese population was very angry with Indians even at Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

I would like to share one of my own experience that how Chinese love and respect us and our country. In December 1985, I had to join urgently a ship at Shanghai Port, it was Saturday evening and I was unable to apply for visa of China, I flew for Hong Kong and from there I had to take flight to Shanghai. The immigration authorities of Hong Kong were not agreed to send me without visa and they had an agreement between the Air Lines that if any one will be brought with out visa the same Airline will take him back to his place of embarkation. I requested the immigration authority to ask Shanghai that for Pakistan citizens there is no visa required, I was not very clear in this aspect but just because of Chinese intimacy and love for Pakistan I just tried my luck. The Immigration man was very impolite he asked me if I am a VIP, I replied, if I am not aVIP but for Chinese we are good friend. In the mean time he called Shanghai immigration and received, “send him immediately he does not need visa”, and that man called me “Mr.VIP go to the plane and I boarded to the plane for Shanghai.

When the plane arrived at Shanghai, there was a huge queue of the passengers to go to immigration.

One Chinese person came to me and asked in Chinese, if I am from Pakistan, I replied Yes (Tui), he embraced me and took me directly to the immigration and presented my passport to the immigration where he asked for immigration fee, this man replied, no need (pu yung). After grant of visa he took to the Agent of my joining ship m.v Ibn-e-Younus and I arrived at Shanghai port and stayed one night at Royal Hotel Shanghai then joined the ship next day.

When he had received the first phone from Hong Kong he had collected all the information about me and came to receive me respectably same as if I was really a VIP.

I can never forget, their love and respect for me for which I am always thankful to my Chinese brothers.