(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Over 100 Pakistani community members gathered at the Pakistan Association Dubai (Pad) on Wednesday to bid adieu to their outgoing ambassador, Moazzam Ahmad Khan, who served the role as the Pak envoy in the UAE for three years.
The event at the Pakistan auditorium in Oud Metha also saw the presence of a number of dignitaries, including the Pakistani Consul-General in Dubai Ahmed Amjad Ali and Dr Zia ul Hasan, who was recently honoured with Pakistan's third-highest civilian award (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) for his contributions towards the community.
Khan lauded the Pakistani community for their consistent support and helpful attitude. "I have served many countries yet my stay in the UAE has been the most memorable one. I was concerned about the plight of Pakistani schools when I joined three years ago. Due to their unsatisfactory ratings, the local authorities were on the verge of shutting them down. With God's grace and the support of Pad and the Pakistani community, they have now improved their ratings to 'good' and 'acceptable', helping us secure the future of the 7,000 students."
The diplomat said he had two objectives when he arrived in the UAE. "I wanted to strengthen the bilateral ties between the UAE and Pakistan as the countries have always shared a special friendship and bond. I also wanted to strengthen the community and make our visa and consular services seamless. I am glad that we have managed to achieve both these milestones. The relations between the UAE and Pakistan have also been strengthened since Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan came into power."
Khan will be retuning back to Pakistan and will take charge of the post of special secretary at the Pakistan Foreign Office headquarters in Islamabad. He will be replaced by Ghulam Dastgir, who will be moving to the UAE from Kuwait where he recently completed his stint as Pakistani Ambassador to Kuwait.
Dr Faisal Ikram, president of Pad, said: "When we first invited Ambassador Khan to the Pad, he was concerned about the sustainability of the institution. He was interested in the institution and not the individuals. It reflected during his tenure and brought the community closer and also strengthened Pakistani institutions."
Dr Hasan, executive committee member of Pad, said: "Ambassador Khan has not just been receptive to the community but has been part of the community. His presence made a difference for the community. We will, of course, miss him but at the same time happy that he is going up the career ladder."
Ambassador Khan is also the first Pakistani diplomat to be conferred the Order of Independence - First Class, by the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in recognition of his efforts during his tenure towards the development and strengthening of the bilateral ties between the UAE and Pakistan.
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