Sitting from left: Aziz Ahmed, Rohail Khan, Ansar Burney, Tahseem Haqqi and Abubakar Memon. Standing from left: Tariq Cheema, Musarrat Khalil, Dr. Khalil Ur Rehman, Abdul Shakoor, Khalid Javed, Shahzad Anwer, Arshad Qaisrani, Fakhruddin Ahmed, Asif, Khursheed Nayyer, Nayeem Farooqi. — Courtesy photo Syed Mussarat Khalil Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Society for International Peace (SIP), was formally inaugurated at the hands of Ansar Burney, International Ambassador of Peace and Justice at Rahma Banquet Hall Monday. SIP, a think tank initiated to serve the humanity, is the dream and brain child of founder/chairman Rohail Khan.. In a private event organized by Khan, who is also a senior banker, social activist, and philanthropist, a formal tribute was given to Ansar Burney by a pool of 30 intellectuals, doctors, engineers, scientists, and businessmen. Burney, the event's chief guest, is the chairman of Ansar Burney Trust International. He flew from UK to grace the occasion. While introducing Burney, Khan descirbed him as "larger than life international humanitarian." "His contribution towards betterment of humanity is unsurpassable," he said, presenting him with a memento to honor his extra ordinary services. "'Selfless people' like Ansar Burney live for others. He is truly an 'icon of of human dignity.'" In an eloquent, heartwarming address, Burney succinctly described his biography and discussed his lifelong mission and works. A solicitor by profession, Burney, an altruist, became a social activist by choice. For the past three decades, Burney has been proactively and consistently engaged in humanitarian works, including international social work, human dignity, women empowerment, anti-human trafficking, and prisoners release. He is founder of the Ansar Burney Trust, Prisoners Aid Society and Bureau of Missing and Kidnapped Persons. The US State Department declared Burney as the "International Human Rights Hero" in 2005. In November 2007, he was appointed as Federal Minister for Human Rights to head the newly established Human Rights Ministry of Pakistan, the first of its kind in the history of South Asia. In March 2008, Burney was elected as the Human Rights Adviser by the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council. He has been called to hundreds of international conferences and forums. In recognition of his outstanding human and civil rights work, he has received around 200 awards from all over the world. Tahseem Ul Haq Haqqi, consul welfare of Pakistan Consulate, was the guest of honor. He said: "Today Ansar Burney is a household name not only in Pakistan but across the five continents. He has proudly carried Pakistan's flag all over the world and achieved the status of 'champion of social justice.' As a creative ritual, Burney and the guests collectively lit candles in the dark as a gesture to spread light across the world. Amid standing ovation, Burney prayed for the success of the newly-founded SIP and hoped its future accomplishments will have a positive impact on the humanity at large. Khan spoke about the four pillars SIP: to promote International peace, to build bridges between cultures and religions, to build inter-community co-operation, and to nurture social welfare organizations. He said that the society shall be incorporated in UK and operated out of London. The society's first memento was jointly awarded by Burney, Khan and Haqqi to Jeddah's well-known personality Abubakar Memon on his appointment as Chairman, Sindh Province, National Peace Committee for Inter-Faith Harmony. In a brain-storming session, guests proffered suggestions for effective implementation of SIP's goals. Earlier, the proceedings had started with recitation of a few verses from the Qur'an by Asif. At the end he made a supplication for the health and longevity of The Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and for the prosperity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ummah at large. Guests at the event included Mujeeb Hasan, Technical Director, Dunia Group; Aziz Ahmed, President, Pakistan Engineers Society; Dr. Khalil ur Rehman, President, Pakistan Welfare Society; Captain Abdul Shakoor Shaikh, General Manager, Globe Marine Group; Prof Dr. Khursheed Nayyer, Professor of Physics, KAA University; Chaudhray Yousuf Ibrahim, Chairman, CCO Group; Shahzad Hameed Anwer Ali, CEO, Derma Sphere Group; Muhammad Asif, EME Director, Nahdi Group; Fakhruddin Ahmed, Senior Economist/ Development Banker; Ehsan ul Haq, Vice President, Pakistan Repatriation Council; Prof. Dr. Tariq Cheema, Professor of Geology and Hydrology, KAA University; Dr. Arshad Qaisrani, Senior Eye Surgeon; Engr Khalid Javed, Director, NTE Group; Nayeem Faruqi, National Marketing Manager, Honda Saudi Arabia; Atif Faruqi, Zakeer Bhatti, Bureau Chief, Such NewsThe Hague, Netherlands; Irfan Muhammad, Senior Journalist, Arab News. Emad Iqbal and Naeem Ismail served as the D.O.P and technical director respectively. The guests were treated with a sumptuous dinner which had on fare "Lahori chergha," a popular and ethnic dish of Pakistan. Security and catering services were provided by Shariq Islam Mani (XM Pro) and Raja Abid Zaman (Rehma Restaurant).
