UAE's Pakistanis pay tribute to late Shaikh Zayed

Al Ain: Pakistani community on Wednesday paid a rich tribute to late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, acknowledging him as a man of vision, a great philanthropist of the 20th century, and a strong believer of making a difference.

Shaikh Zayed utilised the available meagre resources with better planning, proper utilisation, and creating an inter-faith harmony that attracted skilled manpower from around the world, said Jamil Ahmad Khan, Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE.

The Pakistani envoy was speaking at an anniversary ceremony in Al Ain to mark the death of Shaikh Zayed. The event was attended by a large number of community members. The UAE's founding father, who passed away on November 2, 2004, had special warmth for Pakistani expatriates and their country.

Khan said His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his government has closely been following the legacy of Shaikh Zayed on all the national and international fronts. Shaikh Zayed had given a great importance to the nation's culture and traditions. The nation has followed his directions and today enjoys a distinct place among the league of the nations, he added.

Friendly relations

The UAE has established friendly relations with all the countries of the world by keeping the track of Shaikh Zayed's guidance. "Our countries have been enjoying special brotherly relations that will grow with the passage of time," said the ambassador.

Around 1.2 million Pakistanis have been working in the UAE, playing a lead role in the development of the country. The Shaikh Zayed and the UAE, on the other hand, have always help Pakistan in the hour of need. "Pakistani nation has a big regard of UAE and its people," he said.

Akram Farooqi, a community leader, said the community has a special bound with Shaikh Zayed. "He was not only a great friend of Pakistanis but also to humanity," he said. The great deeds of this virtues man are scattered all over glob as he helped all the people regardless of their cast and creed.

Gulam Abass Bhatti, another community leader, the UAE instantly found its footing when he arrived here in 1975.

Desert transformed

"It was harsh desert but Shaikh Zayed had a vision to transform it into a garden," he said. He initiated the fight against desertification. The first realisation of Shaikh Zayed was that the UAE was facing limitations in agriculture due to the scarcity of water resources and arable lands in the country.

He launched an agricultural drive from Al Ain, which was just a small oasis in the eastern region of the country. Under this drive he not only improved the water resources and storage of water for agriculture but also encouraged tribes and individuals towards agriculture and plantation. "A large number of Pakistanis were absorbed in this effort and I personally planted many trees with my own hands," he added.

"Let alone the country, only look at Al Ain that has become the Oasis city of the country," he said, noting that Al Ain was the centre of Shaikh Zayed efforts and it now has more than 70 public gardens and parks and a large population of date palm trees and agricultural farms.