SAEDNEWS: Pakistan’s Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, has described Iran's cinema as one of the world's most pioneering film industries.
Addressing the international film cooperation meeting in Shiraz, southern Iran, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi expressed gratitude to his Iranian counterparts for their warm hospitality during the Fajr International Film Festival.
“Iran and Pakistan share historical and friendly ties,” he said. “Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan’s independence on August 14, 1947. Similarly, Pakistan was the first country to recognize the Islamic Revolution in Iran, led by the great Imam Khomeini.”
Khichi highlighted the close geographic and cultural bonds between the two nations. “We share over 805 kilometers of border and enjoy common traditions, history, and culture,” he noted.
The Pakistani official emphasized that the friendship between Iran and Pakistan has been tested repeatedly over time—during the 1965 and 1971 wars between Pakistan and India, as well as in the war imposed on Iran by Iraq. “In all these periods, the people and governments of both countries stood by each other without fear,” he said.
He also recalled the 12-day conflict illegally imposed by the Israeli regime on Iran, stressing that “the government and people of Pakistan stood firmly by the great nation of Iran.” In support of Iran, resolutions were passed in Pakistan’s National Assembly, Senate, and provincial assemblies.
Khichi arrived in the southwestern Iranian city of Shiraz on Monday to participate in the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF). He attended an international film cooperation meeting featuring cultural officials, ministers, and representatives from the film industries of 15 countries, chaired by Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi.
The Fajr International Film Festival, which opened on November 26 at the Honar-Shahr-e Aftab Complex in Shiraz, will conclude on Tuesday evening. Considered one of the world’s major film events, the FIFF draws personalities from culture, art, media, and the global cinema industry. This year, roughly 200 international guests are in attendance, and a Pakistani film delegation is participating for the first time.
