ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: Late presidents of UAE and Palestine Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan and Abu Ammar Yasser Arafat respectively were the outstanding world leaders, who had left an imprint in the hearts of Muslims.
These remarks were expressed at a condolence meeting held here on Monday. The former foreign minister, Sahibzada Yaqub Ali Khan, who presided over the meeting, said the deaths of these two leaders were tragic blows suffered by the Islamic world in the recent past. The two leaders had left great legacies, which should be model for the leaders of Muslim world.
Sahibzada Yaqub described Sheikh Zayed as a man of great vision, having the capacity to understand geo-political significance of his country. He would help all kinds of Islamic causes, he said. "The relationship between Pakistan and the UAE had flourished during the last 30 years and whenever there was a call for assistance from this country, it never went unheeded."
He said Yasser Arafat was a great man and a born leader who waged a struggle to win the state of Palestine and never diverted from the goal. Another former foreign minister, Abdul Sattar, said the late UAE president had left behind a great and glorious place in the memory of Muslim world.
"Sheikh Zayed brought political and economic stability to his country and attracted investment and expanded production and wealth in Emirates." He said Yasser Arafat was a hero, freedom fighter and an icon for his people and he carried on relentlessly the cause for restitution of the rights of Palestinians.
He also paid tributes to former foreign minister Agha Shahi for piloting a resolution at the UN, which proclaimed and registered the inalienable rights of the Palestinians over their own land. Palestinian Ambassador Ahmad A Razzaq al Salman said both Shaikh Zayed and Yasser Arafat had enjoyed special place in he hearts of people of Pakistan.
Sheikh Zayed was an illustrious leader and the builder of renaissance in the UAE, he said, adding that Palestinian people would never forget his generosity for whom he built homes, hospitals, mosques and also made handsome donation for the repair of Al-Aqsa mosque. He would never be forgotten by the Palestinian people, he said.
Palestine Ambassador Ahmad Razzaq said Yasser Arafat had combined in a creative way both the gun and olive branch. However, he put aside the gun and raised olive branch to achieve a peaceful struggle until 'they' (powers opposing peace struggle) imposed siege on him, his people and practised the policy of killing, collective siege and punishment and destruction of Palestine. This made Yasser to wage struggle once again, he said.
Mr Salman said the struggle of Palestine people had proved that the Palestinian cause was "the key to war and peace and no peace and stability can be achieved in the region without a just settlement that ensures freedom and independence."
UAE Ambassador Ali Mohammad Shamsi said Shaikh Zayed had worked for attaining deeper ties between the two brotherly countries. He regarded Pakistan as a brotherly country and gave it immense support.
Mr Shamsi hoped that the warm ties between UAE and Pakistan would continue in the years ahead under the new UAE president. He expressed appreciation for Pakistan and its people for the warm expressions of grief, which was seen here after the deaths of Shaikh Zayed and Yasser Arafat.
Zahid Malik said Shaikh Zayed followed pro-Arab and pro Muslim policies as well as upheld the economic progress of Muslim countries. Sadruddin Hashwani also paid tributes to the two world leaders.