Islamabad: (Parliament Times) A Condolence Reference was held at Preston University, Islamabad to remember late Mr. Akram Zaki, a distinguished diplomat, poet and writer. The Reference was jointly organized by Preston University and Pakistan Cultural Forum. Personalities of international renown spoke on the occasion and highlighted the life and achievements of Mr. Akram Zaki who served the country with incomparable dedication and professionalism.
Eminent among the speakers who spoke and paid glowing tribute to late Mr. Akram Zaki, a career diplomat and former Secretary General Foreign Affairs, government of Pakistan were Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Leader of the House in Senate of Pakistan, Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Mr. Inam-ul-Haq, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and Mr. Zafar Bakhtawari, Chairman Pakistan Cultural Forum. Mr. Hannan Abbasi, Chairman Youth Assembly of Pakistan and Mr. Habib Malik, President Pakistan Human Rights Organization also spoke at the Reference. Wife of late Mr. Akram Zaki was also present on the occasion.
Addressing the distinguished guests on the occasion Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Leader of the House in Senate of Pakistan said late Mr. Akram Zaki’s services for the country was unparalleled. He was a highly successful diplomat and lived a distinguished life as a seasoned diplomat, writer and poet. His thinking vis-à-vis every sphere of life was original down to the core; he never borrowed ideas from others. Raja Zafar-ul- Haq said Mr. Akram Zaki had deep vision of international politics and this was a rare quality that Mr. Zaki opulently possessed. Senator Zafar-ul-Haq further said that late Senator Akram Zaki capably contributed towards issues relating to foreign affairs when he was chosen to head the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. He said late Akram Zaki was against imperialism in absolute terms and always vociferously advocated Kashmir and Palestine causes throughout his life and professional career, he added.
In his brief remarks on the occasion, Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and former foreign and finance minister of Pakistan said that the services of late Akram Zaki as a career diplomat, spanning over four decades, was unparalleled. Akram Zaki, Mr. Aziz said, was a diplomat par-excellence and he always delivered his best in his professional career. Talking about the other outstanding talents that late Mr. Akram Zaki possessed Mr. Sartaj Aziz said he had a multi-talented and multi-dimensional personality. Besides being a seasoned diplomat Akram Zaki, he said, was an intellectual, writer and poet.
Former Foreign Minister Inam-ul-Haq while expressing his views at the Reference said that late Akram Zaki served the country with unparalleled dedication and integrity. As secretary general foreign affairs and as a diplomat Akram Zaki always endeavored to build country’s positive image in the comity of developed nations of the world, and strengthen Pakistan’s relations with those nations in particular where he served as ambassador. Mr. Inam-ul-Haq said Late Akram Zaki was an institution himself. In his death the country has lost an outstanding diplomat. Akram Zaki’s departure from this mortal has created a vacuum which will take a long time to fill, he maintained.
Mr. Hannan Abbasi, Chairman Youth Assembly of Pakistan and Mr. Habib Malik, President Pakistan Human Rights Organization who also spoke at the Reference and shed light on the life and achievements of late Mr. Akram Zaki paid glowing tribute to him and eulogized his services to the country.
Earlier in his welcome address Mr. Zafar Bakhtawari, Chairman Pakistan Cultural Forum welcomed the distinguished speakers and guests to the Condolence Reference organized in memory of late Mr. Akram Zaki. Paying tributes to late Akram Zaki, he said Mr. Akram Zaki was not only an outstanding Foreign Service officer and diplomat but he was also a fine human being. His enormous contribution towards development of Pakistan’s relations with the developed and civilized nations of the world will always be remembered by the nation with a sense of utmost pride, he maintained.
