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Independence Day -
August 14

Address in reply to the speech made by Sardar Najibullah Khan, special representative of H.M. the King of Afghanistan in Pakistan at the time of presenting Credentials to the Quaid-e-Azam: December 3, 1947

Your Excellency!

It has given me indeed very great pleasure to welcome you and to receive through you today, the gracious message of good wishes from His Majesty the King of Afghanistan. May I take this opportunity of asking you to convey to your august Sovereign my highest regard and esteem for him, and to the Government and the people of Afghanistan most cordial good wishes on behalf of myself, my Government and the people of Pakistan. I would also ask Your Excellency to convey my thanks to the Government of Afghanistan for the cordiality, hospitality and friendship that was extended to my Personal Representative, Nawab Saidullah Khan, during his stay in Kabul.

The Government and the people of Pakistan entertain nothing but feelings of warmest friendship towards the Muslim Kingdom of Afghanistan which is our closest neighbour and with whom, for many centuries and for many generations, the people of Pakistan have had countless religious, cultural and social ties. It is doubtless known to Your Excellency that the people of Pakistan have always admired the spirit of independence of the Afghan nation and its great strength of character.

I desire that the relationship between these two sister nations may be of the greatest and the most lasting friendship, and I hope that the two Governments will soon be able to settle and adjust, in a spirit of goodwill for the benefit of both, all those matters which require our immediate attention, and I do trust that the coming negotiations, that may take place, will secure and strengthen all the more the goodwill and friendship between our two countries which already exist.

I cordially welcome you as the First Representative of His Majesty the King of Afghanistan on behalf of our brotherly Islamic neighbour to Pakistan, and I assure you on behalf of my Government and myself that we shall extend every assistance, co-operation and goodwill to you. May your stay in Pakistan be pleasant and happy.