By Syed Mussarat Khalil.
Jeddah-Journalism Legend, former Editor-in-Chief Arab News, Saudi Gazette and holder of Pakistan’s prestigious award of Sitara-e-Imtiaz Ustad Khaled Almaeena hosted a farewell meeting with Convener Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) Engineer Syed Ehsan-ul-Haque in a local restaurant last evening.
Khaled Almaeena praised PRC for highlighting the cause of stranded Pakistanis for 3 decades which he advocated from the beginning to date. He said it is unfortunate that those quarter-million patriotic Pakistanis are languishing in Bangladeshi camps for over a half-century.
He urged Pakistani President Dr. Arif Alavi and prime minister Mohammed Shahbaz Sharif to create an organization (in replacement of Rabita Trust established in 1988 by President of Pakistan Late Ziaul Haque and Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef then secretary-general of Muslim World League) to arrange repatriation and rehabilitation of those Pakistanis.
In this regards PRC’s proposal for Self Finance scheme can be considered to organise their settlement without burdening Pakistan’s economy. He said that until this issue is not resolved it will carry a negative image of Pakistan for caring for their own Citizens.
Khaled Almaeena appreciated Ehsanul Haque’s role in highlighting their plight and consistently working on the cause. He said in handling any cause never lose Allah’s help and be optimistic that your noble work will be rewarded.
He expected Syed Musarrat Khalil General Secretary to carry out the mission with full devotion to helping those oppressed people. He said that he plans to go to Canada in June and use this opportunity to highlight the issue there as well. He also said that Issues of Palestine, Kashmir and Rohingians Muslims also need world attention.
Those who attended the brief farewell meeting included Engr. Syed Naseeruddin; Engineer Syed Aslam Tanweer and Syed Musarrat Khalil.
Ehsanul Haque at the end thanked Mr. Khaled Almaeena for continuously advocating the cause and supporting PRC. He hoped that he will extend the same support to Syed Musarrat Khalil and his team including Shamsuddin Altaf, Vice President; Zamurrad Khan Saifi Press and Publication Secretary and others. He presented a memorable Shield Mr. Khaled Almaeena
