Ambassadors of Pakistan and India to the United Nations were on Saturday night honoured at an impressive function for their efforts to promote understanding and cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours.
The largely-attended event was organised by the New York chapter of Association of Indians in America (AIA), a grassroots organisation of Indian Immigrants, to mark the festival of Diwali.
Pakistan's Abdullah Hussain Haroon and India's Hardeep Singh Puri, who are close friends, were warmly cheered by guests when they were called to the podium to be witnesses of AIA's award ceremony.
The AIA's "Silver Diwali Bright Light Award" - conferred on Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congressmen Eliot Engel and Gregory Meeks for their services to the Indian community - bears inscribed names of Ambassador Haroon, who is soon leaving his post, and Ambassador Puri.
An AIA leader Ravi Batra said that the presence of the two ambassadors sends a message of "mutual respect and affection" that best personifies the message of Diwali.
Speaking on the occasion, the Indian ambassador paid tributes to Haroon, saying that as a diplomat he has strategic vision about how his country's relations be pursued with various countries.
Puri said Haroon had served his country well and wished him success as he is soon to enter public life.
Both Haroon and Puri said they were dedicated to peace on the sub-continent. "Let us get together and solve our problems," Ambassador Haroon told the mainly Indian audience.
Dialogue was imperative to find a solution of the issues between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir, he added.
In this context, he referred to the statement by Chief of Staff of Pakistan Army General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in which he had called for the demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier.
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