Galleries and corridors of Pakistan national council of arts were filled with people, enthusiastic to know about Chinese language and culture, hours ahead of inauguration of the China Culture Week on Friday evening in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.

Guests visit the photo exhibition during the China Culture Week in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Friday evening.

Chief Guest of the opening ceremony Pir Aftab Shah Jilani, Pakistani Culture Minister, inaugurated the China Culture Week and addressed about the political, strategic, defense, cultural, economic and trade relations between Pakistan and China.

The yearly China Culture Week, scheduled on Sept. 25 to Oct. 8, was kicked off in celebration of the 61st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Chief Guest, after delivering the speech, cut off the ribbon at the gate of a big alight hall whose walls were glamorized with beautifully framed snaps of Shanghai World Expo 2010.

Excellently photographed pictures were attracting visitors and camera flashes. But people's final destination was Chinese language books stalls which had a variety of books, CDs and electronic devises to help anyone who wants to learn Chinese.

Language teachers from China and Pakistan standing besides the stalls were helping, guiding and suggesting a number of people inquisitive about how to learn Chinese language quickly and easily.

Sabeeha Haseeb, a 35 year-old teacher, standing beside a book stall, was very busy in guiding children, women and men that how they can start learning.

"If you are ambitious and want to learn, it's not difficult for you, I spent four years in China for my studies and learned the language, it was a splendid experience, I always enjoy while teaching it now," said Sabeeha, a language teacher at the Confucius Institute at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad.

Sabeeha's husband Haseeb Ahmad is also a Chinese language teacher and they are working together at the Confucius Institute. Ahmad said that currently 600 students at Confucius and almost of the same number at the Chinese department in the NUML were learning Chinese language. Sometime the government of Pakistan also offers Chinese language courses for the employees and students.

Chinese is the fourth most learnt foreign language after English, Arabic and French which is getting fame in people especially in big cities of Pakistan. A family surprised this correspondent when they told Xinhua that they traveled 150 kilometers from Pakistan's Northwestern terror-ridden city Peshawar only for exhibition, Chinese films and with the main concern of taking guidance to learn Chinese.

"Our whole family loves Chinese culture, if you see our house it will look like any Chinese family, our mother decorated the whole house with different Chinese things," Syed Shahroz, a 20 year-old fresh graduate, told Xinhua.

His younger sister Shafia said that they all (two brothers and one sister) want to go to China for their higher studies but their mother advised them to learn basic Chinese at home.

"China's culture and language both are versatile and very different from others that is why they appeal to me a lot, I like Chinese culture very much," said Hajra, mother of the children.

Akram Zaki, Pakistan's Ex-foreign general secretary, talked in a symbolic way and said, "If someone who thinks of future will learn Chinese and someone who worries about his today will learn other languages."

Responding to a question he said imperialistic forces, in the past, had been imposing their languages on poor and weak nations but China was doing in a friendly manner, if some one wishes he can learn it.

Liu Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, speaks at the opening ceremony of the China Culture Week in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Friday evening.

Some people were found worried about the prices of the language courses and said they cannot afford it in their limited income. Munir Ahmad, director of public relations at the president secretariat, was getting introduction on the process of Chinese language learning. "I came here with my son, daughter and wife. I think our future is linked with our neighbor and brotherly country China not with any country which is faraway from us," said Ahmad.

In the middle of the hall a lot of people gathered around the table. A Chinese painter was making their names written in Chinese on placards for their memories.

"It's a memorable thing for me, I shall frame it to hang in my drawing room to show off to my relatives," Farah, a very happy visitor women, told Xinhua.

The drama hall of the PNCA, on Sept. 25, was jam-packed with spectators who gathered to watch Chinese film After Shocks. More two films On the Taihang Mountain and Bodyguards and Assassins will also be screened in next coming days for public.

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2010)