Cambridges arrive in colourful rickshaw at Pakistan event after meeting PM and former cricketer Imran Khan
Video report by ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived at a reception at Pakistan's historic national monument to highlight the relationship between the UK and the Commonwealth country.
The royal couple travelled to the event, hosted by Thomas Drew, the British Commissioner for Pakistan, in a colourful rickshaw.
Kate wore a glittering emerald dress by Jenny Packham, while William wore a similar-coloured sherwani by Karachi-based designer Naushemian.
Speaking at the event, the duke paid tribute to the "many hardships" and "countless lives lost to terror and hatred" in the country.
Meeting the prime minister
The Duke of Cambridge and Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan earlier reminisced about the ex-test cricketer speaking of his political ambitions more than 20 years ago.
In a meeting on Tuesday, the duke told how everyone laughed at a gathering in Richmond-upon-Thames, south west London, in 1996 when Mr Khan announced his ambition of becoming prime minister to William and his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
The former international cricketer was a friend of Diana, who had taken the young duke to visit him and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith.
The pair were reunited on Tuesday in Pakistan as William and the Duchess of Cambridge met Mr Khan on the second day of their five-day royal tour of the region, at the Prime Minister's official home in the capital Islamabad.
William and Kate are the first royals to visit the Commonwealth country in the premiership of Mr Khan, following his election last year.
Duke praises "endurance" of Pakistan through "hardships"
At an event arranged to showcase the best of Pakistani culture, the duke recognised the troubled past of the country following partition in the 1940s.
In front of an audience of influential figures from business, politics and the arts; William said: "Delivering a future where Pakistan's great potential can be realised will not be easy or without sacrifice.
"For a country so young, Pakistan has endured many hardships, with countless lives lost to terror and hatred.
"Tonight I want to pay tribute to all those who have endured such sacrifice and helped to build the country that we see today."
He called on Pakistan and its feuding neighbour India to "continue to exemplify the very best in international co-operation", while acknowledging "the challenges ahead are great".
At the end of his speech, William quoted Muhammad Ali Jinnah - a lawyer, politician and the founder of Pakistan.
"But we cannot be daunted, nor distracted," he said.
"Instead we should draw strength from our shared bonds and heed the words of Muhammad Ali Jinnah as we do so, 'My message to you all' he said 'is of hope, courage, and confidence'."
The background the Pakistan's troubles come after it ceded independence from the British Empire in 1947, sparking disputes with its southern neighbour. The latest episode of the decades-long disagreement raised its head in Kashmir earlier this year.
The royals meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan
Mr Khan recalled a conversation with William about his ambitions of becoming prime minister during their meeting.
On his younger aspirations of becoming a cricketer, Mr Khan said: "When I went with my mother to see a Test match.
"My cousin was playing and he scored a century and I told my mother I wanted to be a Test cricketer.
"I never realised how difficult it was to eventually become one."Similarly, when I told you that I wanted to succeed I didn't realise it would take me 22 years."
The duke replied: "Sure. It's not so easy."
Kate, wearing white trousers by the Pakistani designer Maheen Khan, an emerald green tunic by Catherine Walker, said: "You stuck with it."
The duchess also opted by a navy patterned scarf by another local designer Satrangi and earrings by Zeen - a Pakistani jeweller whose earrings she has worn in the past.
Diana visited a cancer hospital in Lahore as a guest of Mr Khan and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith, in May 1997 - just three months before she died.
The tour kicked off with the Cambridges visiting a government-run school in Pakistan’s capital during the first stop in their tour of the country.
William and Kate toured the school in Islamabad, which educates young people between the ages of four and 18.
Read more about their school visit here.