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Australia Pakistan Forum inauguration and farewell to HC Jalil Jilani
(Report to Sada-e-Watan by Ahsan Tehsin Canberra)
The Australia Pakistan Forum was inaugurated in Canberra on Thursday,12 November 2009 in the presence of High Commissioner for Pakistan to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani. Over 60 guests and members of the Australian Pakistani community were present on the occasion.
Australia Pakistan Forum is a think-tank organisation, formed to project Pakistan in a positive light and dispel various misgivings and negative impressions, not only at the official level but also at the popular level. It intends to reach out to relevant government agencies, the media, academia, intelligentsia, politicians and the public at large. Its instruments include research, dialogue and discussion.
Ambassador (Rtd.) Khizar Hayat Khan Niazi, former Pakistan High Commissioner to Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, is the Patron of the Forum. The Executive Committee comprises: Mr. Rauf Rahim (President), Mr. Javed Butt (Vice President), Mr. Nadeem Sheikh (Secretary), Mr. Ahsan Tehsin (Treasurer), Mr. Tariq Rana, Dr. Ayesha Sarfraz, Mr. Mohammed Ali and Mrs. Nahid Hafiz (executive members).
The evening also marked the farewell of High Commissioner Jilani as he moves to Brussels. President, Mr. Rahim, opened the proceedings and introduced the Forum. Ambassador Khizar Niazi, the Patron, in his speech, shared his thoughts and experiences as Pakistan's diplomatic representative to a number of countries with those present. He said Pakistan was a difficult country to defend, represent and promote abroad. This, he emphasised, was due to the fact that many in Pakistan failed to distinguish between the state and the government. He said that as a diplomatic representative he defended every action of every sitting government of Pakistan. But, he added, the Forum would not defend every action of every government of Pakistan. Instead, it would endeavour to create a better understanding about PAKISTAN -- its strengths and weaknesses through research, dialogue and discussion with the Australian policy makers and the leaders of public opinion.
Ambassador Khazir Hayat Niazi paid glowing tributes to High Commissioner Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani for his meritorious services in bringing Australia and Pakistan further closer. He also thanked the High Commissioner for looking after the Pakistani community extremely well and wished him every success in his new assignment.
High Commissioner Jalil Abbas Jilani lauded the aims and objectives of the Australia Pakistan Forum and expressed the hope that as an independent think tank, it would be able to dispel negative stereotypes and perceptions about Pakistan and project it in a positive light based on facts and figures. He said he genuinely believed that Pakistanis abroad were the real ambassadors of their country and trusted they would continue to serve their motherland with utmost dedication and commitment. At the conclusion of the evening, Ambassador Niazi presented a commemorative plaque to High Commissioner Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani, for the invaluable services rendered in Australia.
