Syed Mussarat Khalil

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — “I feel honored for being chief guest in this prestigious event and I would also like to clarify that I was never an ambassador though I served in Saudi diplomatic mission for about four decades including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey where I was consul general,” said Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi while clarifying the title given to him while being welcomed to speak.



He was addressing a seminar organized by Engineers Welfare Forum (EWF) on an informative topic “Pakistan Scientific and Engineering Development” at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) auditorium recently.



“Pakistan was the first country I went to and did my degree from Karachi University before going for higher education at Aligarh University in India. So if I have to apply for a second citizenship it would be Pakistan,” he added in a lighter note.



He said he was very excited to learn from the keynote speaker Dr. Shoukat Hameed Khan that Pakistan had achieved such high level of scientific and technological development for which we all should be proud. “I must congratulate both, Pakistan government and the Pakistani people, on this achievement,” he said.



“The relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are unique and special in all aspect. Pakistan was probably the first country to send their engineers, doctors, technicians and labors to Saudi Arabia and that has played a major role in Saudi Arabia’s development,” he added.



He further said: “I was referred to a news item in which the Pakistani government has initiated to host some of the million Rohingya Muslims which is great new that Pakistan has taken the lead in helping them. Although I feel that Muslim countries should have pressurized the Burmese (Myanmar) government to forcefully stop Buddhists killing or persecuting Rohingya Muslims. The OIC must take this issue up.”



He also said, “I want to know what the government is doing for the patriotic Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh. Those people migrated from India in 1947 to East Pakistan and stood with the Pakistan army in the 1971 war and after failure they were termed traitors by Bangladesh and persecuted and thrown into camps. They sacrificed everything for Pakistan and are now living in poor condition in squalid camps.”



“I pray to Pak leadership, intelligentsia and people to take the issue of stranded Pakistanis seriously and organize their repatriation to Pakistan urgently,” said Al-Ghamdi.



The program started with the recitation of few verses from the Qur’an by Muhammad Asif.



Dr. Aleem Khan president of EWF welcomed all guest and mentioned in detail about his visit to Lahore with Vice Chairman of JCCI Mazen Batterjee and thanked him for this successful visit.



Dr. Shakeel said that using techniques of catalysis new components can be formed, which can be beneficial for human kind.



Altaf Awan launched his book “Naqshe-Dawam”. In his book he included the great inventions and scientific developments by Muslim scientists.



The Consul General of Pakistan Aftab Khokher highly appreciated EWF and the Pakistani engineers working in the Kingdom who are delivering selfless services to enhance friendship of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.



He said, “With the help of OIC we will launch a platform of science and technology which will help not only Pakistan but all 57 Islamic countries by spreading the light of progression and knowledge.”



Dr. Abdul Aleem Khan presented Shields of Honor to Humayun Taqi and Khurram Shahzad in recognition of their selfless and sincere efforts rendered to the EWF.