Daily Times

By dedicating his book ‘Ahwaal-e-Aalam’ to Foreign Office that provided him opportunity to represent his country to various countries across the globe, Old Ravian and a prolific golf player Javed Hafiz has compiled his selected columns of the same title as that of the book under review. The wonder of the book is that he has written on various cultures, people and customs the world over. He has not only mentioned the problems encountered by the countries or cultures he visited and stayed in but also suggested some solutions (which are not generally suggested by all the poets or prose writers). An honest officer like him are needed in the present generation also as it is these people who create a true image of their country as witnessed by this reviewer in Saudi Arabia, Myanmar (Capital: Yangon) and Muscat where Javed Hafiz served his country.

This reviewer never knew that such a brilliant prose would emanate from Javed Hafiz’s pen. Tariq Mahmud, retired federal secretary who is also a prolific writer has praised the prose of Javed Hafiz especially in the form of deep analysis of socio-political issues of the country where he served his country. Out of his 118 columns this reviewer shall mention only a few as a sample like his column ‘Batein Kuch Burma KI’ (Some Talk about Burma) – Page 19. He has used the old name Burma which is familiar with people living around this country instead of the new name Myanmar. All this reviewer remembers are the drizzles, cuckoo’s cuckoo and Sagwan trees. He mentions that his respite in Burma as ambassador was for ten months only but were memorable. So was this reviewer’s visit there as chief guest for Independence Day celebrations in 1997. It was a very well organized visit by the Pakistan Embassy. On the first day the singing performance lasted for four hours at the Ambassador’s residence for special guests. The second day was for a huge audience with over a thousand people at the largest hall built by China. The event was presided by Burmese cultural ambassador. Most of the attendees comprised people from the subcontinent settled since pre-partition days. Requests for ghazals of Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar dominated the concert. They were clad in white Kurtas and Pyjamas. As only PTV was Pakistani channel seen there, they asked for a song sung by this reviewer from that channel. It was a memorable evening.

The followings days were cultural exchanges with Memon and Bora Biradarees living there. Javed Hafiz read Urdu poetry for them especially that of Nasir Kazmi. Embassy arranged tour of Yangon and suburbs as Myanmar’s traditional culture is an amalgam of folk and royal culture. Buddhism has been a part of Myanmar’s culture since the 1st century AD and has blended with non-Buddhist beliefs. Javed arranged funds for investment on library and tomb repairs and building a mosque, rest house for the visitors of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s tomb and got approved by running after the lazy bureucrats (decision makers). He even gave this good news to Mian Nawaz Sharif the Prime Minister of that time but Indian embassy destroyed this effort by claiming that Zafar was India’s disposed King and Pakistan had no role to play. Javed Hafiz had to leave Rangoon replaced by Amir Hafeez Butt, Nawaz’s brother in law with no diplomatic experience. He was accountant in Lahore’s tractor company – Page 21.

Javed Hafiz had written on the philosophy of Sikandar the Great who entered India like a storm and vanished like a whirlwind – Page 22. He has mentioned the importance of astrologers whom the rulers of the day would approach frequently for their luck in politics – Page 25. Javed wondered if Sheikh Sa’adi’s philosophy had any impact of Pakistanis – Page 24. Then he names the richest people in the world though this list changes in any era – Page 31. Then he advises the decision makers to think about the betterment of the new generation – Page 34. He is distressed to find out that our rulers are in the habit of making foreign visits frequently. He refers to a column by Shamshad Ahmad that former PM Shaukat Aziz had completed a century of foreign visits (our current foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is no way behind) – Page 49 titled Hamare Ibn-e-Batuta.

Javed Hafiz emphasizes on the fact that foreign policy and Foreign Office are two different things. Many TV anchors feel that if a foreign minister is appointed, foreign policy shall improve whereas making foreign office strong shall automatically strengthen your foreign policy – Page 219. This reviewer has experienced that whether it was Mr. Liaquat Mahmud in Doha, Mr. Javed Hafiz in Muscat or Ameer Gulistan Janjua in KSA, it is the informal dinners at ambassador or councilor’s residences that built and improved the understanding of the stance taken by one’s country through the power of discussions in these dinners. The wives played important roles. This reviewer was, mostly invited on such dinners where ever he resided as an engineer or as an artist.

Image of a country is improved by the community residing in a foreign country and by the diplomacy of the ambassadorial staff. This reviewer while as GM of Nespak in Riyadh had full support of Ambassador Janjua and his staff including Javed Hafiz the political councilor and Javed Noel the economic counselor in mobilizing Nespak’s JV partners from Statistic Division Government of Pakistan on Housing Sample Survey project to save Nespak from delayed penalties. It is suggested that Foreign Office staff should be given special training for helping the Pakistani organizations and businessmen in acquiring work abroad.

There are so many other issues touched upon by Javed Hafiz Saheb in his book that would need many essays to be written which this reviewer shall dwell upon subsequently. For the present, Javed Hafiz needs special commendation for his honesty and faithfulness by writing on his experiences in establishing the name of Pakistan in positive direction.