Islamabad: (Parliament Times) A Condolence Reference was held at Preston University in memory of late Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas. The Reference was jointly organized by Preston University and the Archaeological and Historical Association of Pakistan (AHAP). Eminent among the speakers who spoke on the occasion and paid glowing tribute to Senator Dilawar Abbas were former Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Mr. Wasim Sajjad, former Senator Nisar Memon, Dr. Jamal Nasir, Dr. Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University, Dr.Ghazanfar Mehdi, Chairman AHAP. Distinguished personalities, including the faculty, staff and students of Preston University participated in the Reference in large numbers.
In his welcome address on the occasion, Dr. Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University expressed his gratitude to the honorable speakers, distinguished guests and the faculty and students of Preston University for their participation in the condolence reference jointly organized by Preston University and AHAP in memory of late Senator Dilawar Abbas. Paying glowing tribute to Senator Dilawar Abbas, he said Senator Dilawar Abbas was known name in the corporate world. He was considered to be a corporate leader of unparalleled business acumen among the business community of the country. He said Senator Dilawar, during his professional career spanning over decades, had the distinction of heading a large number of prestigious private and public sector organizations of the country. Dr. Basit said Senator Dilawar embarked on his corporate career with the Attock Oil Group in Pakistan. He took charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the young age of 39, and a year later he was elevated to the position of Group Chief. He continued to perform this role from 1986 till 1995 before taking an early retirement. In his death, Dr. Basit said, the corporate world has lost an outstanding corporate leader and the nation a remarkable politician and sports icon.
Paying glowing tribute to Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas, former Chairman Senate of Pakistan Mr.Wasim Sajjad and former Senator Mr. Nisar Memon, said late Senator Dilawar Abbas excelled not only in the corporate world but also in the realm of politics. In his stint as the member of the Senate of Pakistan too Senator Dilawar made his mark as a very competent legislator and significantly and consistently contributed towards the proceedings of the upper house of the parliament of the country. They said, he was a very dear colleague and would be fondly remembered for a long, long time to come.
In their address on the occasion, the other distinguished speakers spoke highly about the mammoth contribution of Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas towards building the corporate sector of Pakistan. The outstanding leadership role he played as CEO in prestigious institutions like Attock Oil Group Pakistan, Managing Director Attock Oil Co. Ltd. U.K, Managing Director Attock Cement Pakistan Ltd. made these organizations emerge as icons in the comity of reputed institutions engaged in similar businesses in the country, they said. Apart from his prolonged stint in the corporate sector, Senator Dilawar Abbas served as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum & Natural Resources for 6 years, and was member of several other key committees including Defense & Defense Production; Industries & Production; Prime Minister task force on WTO; and Member of Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources of Pakistan. They further said that Senator Dilawar was an avid sportsman and played tennis regularly for almost 40 years. He served two terms as President of Pakistan Tennis Federation. He also served as a Board Member and Senior Vice President of Asian Tennis Federation for eight years. He was Patron, Pakistan Tennis Federation; Honorary Life Time Senior Vice President, Asian Tennis Federation; Member Constitution Committee, International Tennis Federation; and Senior Vice President, Punjab Olympics Association. They said in Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas’ death the corporate world has lost an unparalleled corporate leader and the country a virtuous and diligent parliamentarian.
