KATHMANDU: The Embassy of Pakistan organized a launching ceremony for a book on Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage in the Nepali language, titled Pakistanka Boudha Sampadhaharu, authored by eminent scholar Om Charan Amatya.
Bhim Prasad Acharya, Member of Parliament from CPN-UML, graced the event as Chief Guest. Special Guests included U Myo Myint Maung, Ambassador of Myanmar, and Chameera Munasinghe, Chargé d’Affaires of Sri Lanka.
In attendance were venerable monks, Buddhist scholars, political leaders, journalists, members of civil society, officials from the Embassy of Pakistan, and their families.
In addition, various universities and think tanks from Pakistan participated in the event online. Ambassador A. Imran Shaukat, Special Envoy for the Promotion of Pakistan’s Buddhist Heritage, addressed the gathering virtually and shared insights about the “Pakistan’s Buddhist Heritage Promotion Initiative.”
In his remarks, Chief Guest Bhim Prasad Acharya highlighted the importance of cultural heritage as a vital pillar of people-to-people (P2P) ties. He described the Buddhist heritage as a shared legacy of the two friendly countries—Pakistan and Nepal—and emphasized the need to further enhance P2P connectivity to promote cultural heritage.
Earlier, author Om Charan Amatya spoke about the revered Buddhist sites in Pakistan, their historical links to Nepal, and their potential spiritual and cultural value for Nepalis and Buddhists around the world.
Abrar H. Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, stated that Pakistan takes pride in its rich cultural heritage, has actively preserved it, and seeks to share it both as an emotional and educational experience for devotees and tourists alike. He commended Om Charan Amatya for his meticulous research in highlighting the profound historical and cultural ties between Pakistan and Nepal.
Ambassador Hashmi expressed hope that the book would reach a wide Nepali audience and inspire greater understanding, scholarly research, pilgrimage, and cultural travel.
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