This is how I have described Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh in my Reminiscences published in 2017. “Mr. Shaharyar Khan retired in April 1994 after a long and brilliant career in the Foreign Service of Pakistan. He was replaced as Foreign Secretary by Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh. Mustachioed, with thick hair, always dressed in his make-to-measure pinstripe three piece suits – Mr. Shaikh is a man of extraordinary qualities. A chain smoker, avid reader and a prolific writer with a deep understanding of international and regional problems, Mr. Najmuddin has been one of the top diplomats the country has ever created. I came to know him during the visit of President Rafsanjani of Iran by the end of 1992. Najmuddin was our Ambassador in Tehran and accompanied the Iranian leader to Pakistan. Rafsanjani was leading a large delegation of some 70 Ministers and senior officials, their wives and daughters. They had a night stopover in Lahore. We chalked out two separate programs for the Iranian President and his delegation and the women. While I was conducting the President’s delegation, Naheed Shah a young officer in the Foreign Office for a brief period, was tasked to look after the ladies.
In the evening, there was a grand dinner for the entire delegation in the State Guest House. Present in the dinner was our friend, Qurban Abbassi from Larkana brought to Lahore one day before by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Though placed on the main table, Ambassador Najmuddin was vigilantly overseeing the settling down of the presidential delegates in their seats. I went to him to have some accolades for conducting the presidential delegation all the day in an impeccable manner. I addressed him in Sindhi, ‘Sir, all went very well so far and tomorrow morning, we shall take the delegation to the airport in the same orderly fashion; I said jubilantly. Before he could say something, I added somewhat naughtily, ‘Sir, the Iranian women are so beautiful’. He responded in Sindhi with a wry smile; Baba, that is all right, but we should not stare them with penetrating eyes. He had noticed the stalking sights of us all”.
After his appointment as Foreign Secretary in April 1994, I used to come in frequent contact with him till my posting abroad. He used to visit Lahore frequently and interacted a lot with the mainstream media. We invited editors of the main papers through the Press Information Department of Punjab. When free, he sat in a deliberative mood smoking and sipping his black tea or reading a book. He never bothered the comptroller or the Deputy Chief of Protocol. I developed a relationship of respect and reverence with him. I met him in Islamabad in 2001 after a long interregnum of six years. I found him a different man – a bit bitter and a bit circumspect. However, he never lost his usual flair and signature smile despite the harsh conditions he was made to face at the senescence of his brilliant career.
An Indian diplomat Vivek Katju remembers him as having all the qualities of a good diplomat: civility, patience, precision and the ability to present his viewpoint calmly and firmly.
After his brilliant tenure as Foreign Secretary, he was appointed as High Commissioner of Pakistan to Canberra by the outgoing government. While he was preparing to wind up in Islamabad and leave for his new assignment, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s government was dismissed in November 1996, followed as usual by a reprehensible swipe of witch hunt. There was nothing against Ambassador Najmuddin but his good lady wife was placed on ECL for an event organized by her in Washington as the Managing Director of Pakistan Television. He refused to go for his new posting unless his wife was taken off the ECL In the meantime, he retired and settled in Karachi.
I met him again in Karachi in 2014 after my retirement from service in 2010 and stay abroad for a couple of years. By this time, I had resumed my romance with pen and paper and started writing for some magazines including the Weekender, published from Karachi. He used to read my articles and critiqued them, too. He used to call me by my first name – Alam, adding out of affection – Baba, sometimes. I continued to have this relationship of respect with him till his passing away in the last week of March this year. We have had a big loss in the demise of Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh.
An Indian diplomat, Vivek Katju, who had a chance to interact with Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh, remembers him as having all the qualities of a good diplomat: civility, patience, precision and the ability to present his viewpoint calmly and firmly. He consistently pursued Pakistan’s interests in an enlightened manner’. He further writes that ‘while the Afghan Taliban succeeded in establishing full control over the country — Najmuddin Sahib had feared, Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan would continue to be difficult. Pakistan decision makers would surely miss his expertise on Afghan affairs as they deal now with their western neighbor’.
The former Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan, in his obituary, reminisces eloquently about Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh. ‘Hailing from a family of distinguished individuals known for their pursuit of excellence, he made significant contributions to Pakistan’s foreign relations throughout his illustrious career. Ambassador Shaikh had the privilege of serving as Pakistan’s Ambassador to several countries including the United States, Canada, Germany and Iran, where his skill, dedication, and diplomacy left a lasting impact. His tenure as Foreign Secretary from 1994 to 1997 was marked by his unwavering commitment to advancing Pakistan’s foreign policy interests’.
The loss of Ambassador Najmuddin was deeply felt by his relatives, friends and admirers within the country and abroad. His brilliance apart, I particularly remember his unbiased, affectionate and mentoring treatment of his junior colleagues. He was a humane, understanding, kind and helpful administrator imbued with a noble spirit of mentorship. I personally know that as Foreign Secretary he waived off the minor hiccups in the blood counts of four Directors General enabling them to make it to the next higher grade. I know two of them closely.
Goodbye, Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh Sahib.
The author was a member of the Foreign Service of Pakistan and he has authored two books.