PR. No. 148. PRESS RELEASE Karachi: September 11, 2010. President Asif Ali Zardari accompanied with Chairman Senate visited Mazari Quaid and offered fateha and laid floral wreaths and chadar on the Mazar. He flew in by helicopter from the Razzaqabad flood relief camp which he visited to distribute the NADRA produced high tech Watan cards among the victims that will enable them to draw 20,000 rupees from banks. He was received at the mazar by Governor Sindh. Recording observations in the visitors book the President paid homage to the Quaid and all those who sacrificed first for building the country and then by ensuring its democratic polity. Here is what he wrote, ”Today on the 62nd death anniversary of the Father of the Nation Quaid e Azam let us all pledge to rededicate ourselves to the ideals for which Pakistan was created. ”These were the ideals of democracy, Constitutionalism, rule of law and egalitarianism based on social justice and economic opportunities for all. ”Today we also pay homage to all those who made sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan and for keeping it as a democratic polity. ” We will continue our struggle to make Pakistan a country as envisioned by the  Quaid -e-Azam” The President is now flying back. PR. No. 149. PRESS RELEASE PRIME MINISTER CONDOLES WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. Islamabad: September 11, 2010 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of condolences to the British Prime Minister Mr. David Cameron on the sad demise of his father. In his message of condolences to the British Prime Minister, the Prime Minster said “Excellency, I have come to know with deep sense of shock about the sad demise of your esteemed father. I wish to convey my own and that of Government and people of Pakistan’s most sincere and profound condolences to your Excellency and other members of your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family members, in this hour of grief. May God the Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and give the bereaving family the courage and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.” PR. No. 150. PRESS RELEASE Islamabad: September 11, 2010. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani offered Eid ul Fitr prayers at Faisal Mosque, Islamabad this morning.  Prayers were offered for the progress, prosperity and solidarity of the country after the Eid prayers. After the Eid prayer, the Prime Minister exchanged eid greetings with the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the general public at the mosque. PR. No. 151. PRESS RELEASE MINISTER FOR MINORITIES AFFAIRS MR. SHAHBAZ BHATTI MEETS POPE BENEDICT XVI  Islamabad, 12th September 2010 Minister for Minorities Affairs Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti met with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, according to a press release received here today from Vatican City (Rome). The Pope stated that the “flood affectees were very close to my heart and we stand in solidarity with Pakistan. We will continue to support the victims of this devastation for which I have made appeals”. The Minister thanked the Pope for his personal appeals for victims of the catastrophic floods, expressed gratitude for the donations already made by the Catholic Church for flood affectees and appreciated that Catholic charitable agencies throughout the world had launched campaigns to raise funds to provide long-term assistance to those in need. Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti also underscored that such continued and timely assistance would go along way in providing essential items, combating the twin dangers of malnourishment and disease, as well as meeting the challenges of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Pakistan needed the support and cooperation of the international community to deal with a natural disaster of this scale and magnitude. The Minister also conveyed a letter from President Asif Ali Zardari to Pope Benedict XVI in which he had inter alia referred to promoting interfaith and intercultural harmony in Pakistan. The Minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to mutual understanding and interfaith harmony. especially at the grass-roots level. Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti also referred to the contribution of the Christian community in Pakistan, and the existing opportunities and challenges they faced. Pope Benedict XVI underscored “the role of the Minister particularly in promoting interfaith harmony and dialogue among different faiths”.