I will remember the Ambassador also because he is the one who proposed name of my newspaper Daily Islamabad Post.

So as long as this newspaper is there, Ambassador Amri shall remain an integral part of it.

Ansar M Bhatti

ISLAMABAD: It is always hard to say goodbye to someone with whom you have spent memorable days. The painful aspect of diplomacy perhaps happens to be the time when one has to depart either after completing his or her term or retirement. And as it goes, pangs of parting are always unbearable. In P.B Shelly’s words ‘fairest things have fleetest end but their scent survives them’. During my 30 years of diplomatic journalism I have come across hundreds of ambassadors and diplomats however I can count on fingertips whom I still remember and maintain a contact. It would indeed be a privilege for me to be in touch with Ambassador Amri even after his retirement.

Ambassador of Indonesia Iwan S Amri is leaving Pakistan after completing his eventful tenure in Pakistan. He happens to be the longest serving Indonesian ambassador in Pakistan staying here for more than four years. During these four years he put in his best efforts to bring peoples of both countries even closer.

“Now when I am leaving Pakistan, let me speak out my heart. I have no regrets as I succeeded to achieve targets, which I set for myself when I arrived in Pakistan”, Ambassador Amri Daily Islamabad Post during his last media interaction with any newspaper of Pakistan.

The outgoing Ambassador said he wished he could stay more in Pakistan for Pakistan was indeed a great country to live and serve. He said during his four years and five months tenure he made all out efforts to contribute towards further promoting and strengthening of bilateral relations.

Personally, I will remember the Ambassador also because he is the one who proposed name of my newspaper Daily Islamabad Post. We had an informal chat at the Indonesian embassy on the sidelines of a function and when I shared the news with the ambassador about the launching of daily newspaper, the ambassador abruptly said we have Jakarta Post so why don’t to name your newspaper as Islamabad Post. I picked the idea, worked on it and am glad that Islamabad Post became a reality during Mr. Amri’s presence in Pakistan. So as long as this newspaper is there, Ambassador Amri shall remain an integral part of it.

During his four years term Ambassador Iwan S Amri not only focused on further cementing bilateral trade and economic relations but he tried to diversify these relations by identifying new avenues of cooperation. During his time, both Pakistan and Indonesia set the basis for cooperation in defence sector. Army to Army and air force to air force links established during his tenure have already started paying the dividends.

“I am happy that I was able to achieve this milestone of cooperation among our services and hope it will further strengthen bilateral ties”, he told.

Ambassador Amri finds people of Pakistan industrious; hospitable and full of warmth. “ I and my wife received utmost love and affection from Pakistani people wherever we went either on a business trip or in private capacity”. In a nostalgic mood, Ambassador said he will certainly miss hospitality of great people of Pakistan adding he would love to come back here.

Ambassador Iwan is retiring from service and plans to spend most of his time in his own country. “I have some proposals from Pakistan businessmen who are running businesses in Indonesia sine long, to help and advise them on various matters. The proposal sounds good to me and I may opt for it”, he further told.

Summing up, we wish him best of luck and pray that all his future endeavors also prove a success. President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi rightly remarked, when Ambassador Amri went to say him goodbye that from now onwards he will serve as Pakistani’s ambassador to Indonesia.