BEIJING: The military band from Pakistan enthralled the audience with its exquisite and stunning performance by playing tunes of different national and traditional folk songs at Pakistan Embassy here on Thursday morning.
Pakistan Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid was the chief guest on the occasion.
Defence Attaché Brig Ahmed Bilal, senior diplomats, military officials, teachers, students and a large number of Chinese and Pakistani communities witnessed the performance.
The military band started its performance with playing national anthem of Pakistan and then presented some melodious tunes including ‘Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan’, Aiy Puttar Hattan Tey Nahin Vikday.’
The audience also appreciated famous tunes of traditional folk songs of Punjabi, Pushto, Sindhi and Kashmiri languages.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Masood Khalid highly lauded the band led by Honorary Captain Ghulam Ali for its performance which was a rare and unique opportunity for the gathering.
He informed that this band has represented Pakistan at a very important international event of the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the SCO wherein eight member-states of SCO participated including host country China.
They gave their performances at such iconic places like Great Wall and Olympic Stadium.
“They not only won the hearts of the Chinese people by rendering beautiful Chinese tunes, Pakistan national and folk songs but also they have dominated the media headlines,’ he added.
He said all the tunes were excellent and outstanding but one which rounded of this programme was beautiful as it revived our patriotic spirit.
Master Ghulam Ali said it was his third visit to China and added last year his band participated in 4th SCO Military Bank Festival in Shanghai last year.
He said the performance of Pakistan band was applauded by Chinese brethren everywhere in China.
The 50-member tri-service military band is on a -seven-day visit of China to participate in the 5th “Horn of Peace” Military Band Festival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Chinese capital.
Military bands from eight countries, namely, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Belarus are participating in the festival.
The opening ceremony of the festival was held at a square of the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall in Beijing on April 24, which was followed by the first official performance of the festival.
The eight participating military bands gave a parade performance at the Beijing Olympic Park on morning of April 25 and staged the second official performance at the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall in evening on same day.
The 1st SCO Military Band Festival was held in 2014, and it has become a cultural gala of SCO and a bridge linking the friendship between servicepersons of the armed forces of the SCO member states.
It is worth mentioning that, this year’s SCO Military Band Festival has been joined by three newcomers, and they are the military bands from Uzbekistan, India and Belarus.
