OTTAWA, Canada: The Canadian Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan has appreciated the measures Pakistan has taken to facilitate minorities particularly Sikh pilgrims who visit their sacred places in the South Asian Country.
The appreciation came when Pakistan’s High Commissioner Tariq Azim Khan called on Harjit Singh Sajjan in Ottawa on Tuesday and presented him Holy Parshad, distributed on the birthday of Guru Nanak at Nankana Sahib.
The Canadian Defence Minister thanked him for the gesture of goodwill.
The High Commissioner briefed the minister on the state of minorities in Pakistan including the Sikh Community which enjoys full freedom. He said that Sikh pilgrims from across the world are facilitated to visit their sacred places in Pakistan every year.
Tariq Azeem renewed an outstanding invitation from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to the Canadian Defence Minister to visit Pakistan. He said that the visit will provide an opportunity to both the countries for enhancing bilateral defence relations.
The High Commissioner further briefed the minister on the role Pakistan is playing in United Nations Peace Keeping Missions.
The envoy informed that Pakistan has remained one of the largest troop contributing countries consistently for many decades. At present, more than 7500 personnel of all ranks are deployed in UN Missions, he added.
The Canadian Defence Minister expressed his gratitude and accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan at mutually convenient dates.
