Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
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The High
Commissioner Abdul Malik Abdullah meets Community members & Importers in Sydney
(Coverage by: Syed Zafar
Hussain, Editor-in-Chief Sada-e-Watan Sydney)
The High Commissioner of Pakistan Abdul Malik Abdullah met the community members living in NSW and Australian importers from Pakistan in Sydney on 7th April 2013. Consul Mr. Shifaat Kaleem was MC of the function.
Cross section of Pakistani community members including people from different ethnic, regional background attended the function. Representatives of all political parties were also present. Australian importers of different items from Pakistan were also present.
The High commissioner briefed the gathering about the growing relations between Australia and Pakistan in various fields specially trade. He highlighted the importance of trade between the two countries. He briefed the importers about vast opportunities for increase in bilateral trade that exist between the two countries.
The High Commissioner H.E.Abdul Malik Abdullah briefed the community members about developments in Pakistan specially the forthcoming general elections and the consideration and preparation for voting rights for overseas Pakistanis in line with Honourable Supreme Court order. He informed them about the registration process initiated by the High Commission and the Consulate for the intending voters and urged them to register themselves for that purpose.
The High Commissioner His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah appreciated the support and assistance of the community extended to the people of Pakistan during natural calamities like earthquake and floods.
The High Commissioner lauded the efforts of the outgoing Consul General Azam Mohammed in furthering trade relations between the two countries specially increase in the volume of Pakistani exports. He informed the gathering that Mr. Azam had professional capabilities and his inputs in Pakistan’s trade policy formulation were always given great importance. The High Commissioner highlighted that Mr. Azam took personal pains in bringing community members together. The Consul General always facilitated the community and ensured swift and smooth consular services for the community. His Excellency told the gathering that Mr. Azam has been his personal friend for the last 35 years. Mr. Azam's departure would be a personal loss to him. Mr. Azam would be also missed by the Pak Australian Community.
Prominent community leaders and religious scholars also spoke on the occasion and paid rich tributes to the High Commissioner and acknowledged his and Consul General Azam Mohammed efforts in uniting the community. Today's gathering was acknowledged by them as the success of the initiatives as all segments of Pakistani society were all present under one roof.
The High Commissioner also welcomed and introduced new Consul General Abdul Aziz Uqaili and expressed his confidence that he too would deliver to best of his capabilities and capitalise on the achievements so far made by the High Commission and Consulate in matters of trade, investment and community services.
Mr. Azam thanked the High Commissioner and the community for constant support in discharge of his responsibilities. He told the gathering that his agenda from the day first was to focus on trade and investment and facilitate community and extend them fast and quality consular services. He informed that he was taking very good memories with him as the community in Australia was one of the best he has interacted with. He particularly thanked the Consul Mr. Shifaat Kaleem for his exceptional and outstanding quality and his genuine concerns for welfare of the community. He said the credit for good services of the Consulate is simply due to directives of the High Commissioner and hard work of Mr. Shifaat and his consulate staff. Tough very few personnel work in the consulate, he said his team worked hard and acknowledged that whatever good done by consulate is because of them and accepted his full responsibility for wherever the Consulate failed to meet the community's expectation.
CG Azam also paid rich tributes to the President of the Pakistan Association of Australia Mr Iftikhar Rana and his team for their devoted work for welfare of the community and thanked the media for their positive role in projecting positive image of Pakistan an the community.
Mr. Azam also introduced the new Community Welfare Attache Sardar Balakh Sher Khosa and tale of his rich contribution to Community welfare while he was posted in London from where he joined this mission and said Mr Khosa is well known for his devotion to the community and his posting here will prove very useful for the community. He also welcomed and introduced the new Consul General and expressed his confidence that the business and Pakistani community would extend the same support to the new CG as they had been extending to him. CG Azam thanked the High Commissioner Abdul Malik Abdullah for his support and keen interest in promoting Pakistan’s trade and economic interests and foe specially coming from Canberra and for hosting today's event for business and Pakistani community and giving him a free hand in drawing the invitees’ a list. He said today's event is like a friend Azam function as Azam was given the liberty of drawing the invitee list though the host is the High Commissioner. He thanked the High Commissioner for this privilege.
The new Consul General Mr. Abdul Aziz assured the community that he too will do his best in delivering in lines with the High Commissioner’s gathering that he too would try his best to implement the High Commissioner’s directive to promote Pakistan' economic interest and to facilitate the community in all possible ways. He told that he would work hard for further strengthening trade relations between Pakistan and Australia.
Defence Advisor Brig. Zahoor Ahmad also spoke on the occasion. He paid rich tributes to Mr. Azam for rendering excellent services. In the end, Dua was offered for the departed for progress and prosperity of the country and for the departed soul of late Minhas Zulfiqar and 1965 war Hero M.M. Alam and all martyrs particularly martyrs from the Armed Forces and Security Forces.
