Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah Delivered a Talk on “facts about origin and arrival of Cameleers in Australia, Pak- Afghan relations”
Mr.Iftikhar Rana,President of Pakistan Australia Business Council hosted a Iftar Dinner at Spice of Life
On 24th July 2013 an Iftar dinner was organised by Mr. Iftikhar Rana, President of Pakistan Australia Business Council (PABC). The event was attended by a large number of Pakistanis representing cross section of the community living in Sydney. The Iftar was held at the Spice of Life Function Centre Harris Park Sydney NSW.
Some prominent
guest included His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah, High Commissioner of
Pakistan Canberra.Brig Zahoor Ahmad, Defence Advisor High Commission for
Pakistan Canberra. Mr. Abdul Aziz Uqaili, Consul General of Pakistan, Sydney.
Shifaat Ahmad Kaleem, Consul Pakistan Consulate Sydney,Sardar Balakh Sher Khosa,
Counsellor Welfare, CG Sydney including many Community Leaders, Prominent
Businessman, Famous community personalities and Local community media.
Ashraf Chohan Information Secretary of PABC was the master of the ceremony the
program begun with the recitation of the holly Quran by Anwar Shad.
The stage was joined by Mr. Kashif Amjad, Senior Vice President of PABC. He briefed about the Council and its organisation and highlighted the Business Council’s role in promoting business ties between the two countries.
President of
PABC Mr. Iftikhar Rana thanked the guests for attending the event in such a
large number. He specially thanked the High Commissioner and Brig Zahoor Ahmed
for coming all the way from Canberra and attending the event. He highlighted the
importance of PABC in promoting the business relations between the two
countries. He emphasised a more pro-active role for the Council and encouraged
inputs by the business community in this regard. He encouraged all members of
the business community to become members of the Pakistan Australia Business
Council and to contact the Secretary General Mr. Sadaqat Siddiq (Sam). He prayed
for solidarity and prosperity of both countries.
The Secretary General of PABC, Mr. Sadaqat Siddiq he described the different
memberships categories and the benefits of joining the PABC.
Speaking on the occasion, the Consul General of Pakistan, Mr. Abdul Aziz Uqaili thanked Mr. Iftikhar Rana and office bearers of PABC for arranging the event. He briefly discussed the trade relations between Pakistan and Australia and highlighted the existing potential for increase in bilateral trade between the two countries. The Consul General briefed the gathering about the upcoming Expo Pakistan 2013 to be held in Karachi from 26-29 September, 2013. He urged the gathering to encourage the prospective Australian buyers of the Pakistani merchandise to visit Pakistan and participate in the Expo.
His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah, the High Commissioner for Pakistan thanked Mr.Iftikhar Rana and organizers of the event. He delivered a speech on “facts about origin and arrival of cameleers in Australia” .
The High Commissioner also gave a detailed account of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan focusing Durand line.
At the conclusion of the speeches, dinner was served.
***********************************************************
His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah Speech at Iftar Dinner hosted by Iftikhar Rana President of PABC
“Facts about origin and arrival of Cameleers in Australia,Pak- Afghan relations”
His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah, the High Commissioner for Pakistan, delivered a speech on “facts about origin and arrival of cameleers in Australia”.He also gave a detailed account of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan focusing Durand line.
The talk/ Iftar dinner was organized by Mr. Iftikhar Rana, President of Pakistan Australia Business Council (PABC). The event was attended by a large number of Pakistanis representing cross section of the community living in Sydney
The High Commissioner briefed the audience about the history of arrival of cameleers in Australia and misperceptions about their origin as Afghans. He said that import of camels and cameleers to Australia started in mid nineteenth century. The main objective of bringing camels to Australia was to use them in transporting supplies, tools and equipments used in different infrastructure development projects like Railways. By late 1860s, most Australian states were importing camels and cameleers. There is a misconception among the Australian that these cameleers were Afghan. In fact most of the cameleers came from areas of the sub-continent that are now part of Pakistan. In 1859, George Landells, a veteran of first Afghanistan-British War was engaged to arrange camels and cameleers from the sub-continent. He visited the area and with the help of his friends and former colleagues in the British Indian Army hailing from North West Frontier part of the subcontinent (present Khyber Puktoonkhwah) bought camels and hired cameleers from the areas now part of Pakistan. These were shipped from Karachi to Melbourne in 1860.
The majority of them were Muslims from Punjab, Sind, Baluchistan and Northern Western Frontier parts of the subcontinent. It is not clear as to why these cameleers are called Afghan or Ghan. One reason may be that some of them came from the areas of Pakistan close to Pakistani-Afghan border. The Australians of that time and even those of present day could not differentiate between these different peoples. These cameleers from territories now part of Pakistan were instrumental in development and success of infrastructure projects of those times.
Referring to the Durand line, the High Commissioner said that Pakistan regarded it as the recognised international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Durand Line came into existence in 1893 through a treaty between Afghan King Amir Abdur Rahman and British Foreign Secretary Mortimer Durand to formalise the boundary between Afghanistan and the British India. In 1947, Durand Line began to serve as the international border between the newly-created Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan on the other hand argues that the Durand Line Agreement signed between the erstwhile governments of Afghanistan and British India is no more valid. For Pakistan, the Durand Line is a closed and settled issue. Pakistan regards it as the recognised international border, and the international community also recognises it so.
Referring to the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the High Commissioner said that Pakistan wanted to have close and friendly relations with Afghanistan on the basis of mutual respect and trust. Peace and stability in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest. The speech was followed by Question-Answer session.
Sardar Khosa,Shifaat Kaleem,Host Iftikhar Rana,H.E.Abul Malik Abdullah,CG Abdul Aziz and Brig.Zahoor Ahmad
Sardar Khosa,Shifaat Kaleem,Host Iftikhar Rana,H.E.Abul Malik Abdullah,CG Abdul Aziz and Brig.Zahoor Ahmad
