close
Thursday March 28, 2024

Shahbaz matchless leader: US diplomat

By Monitoring Desk
November 20, 2017
LONDON: A United States diplomat commended on Saturday the vision and management skills of the chief minister of Punjab, saying he was "tremendously impressed by the man", reports Geo News. Zachary V Harkenrider – who served as the Consul General of the United States in Lahore, between 2013 and 2016 and was, therefore, able to work closely with Shahbaz Sharif – seemed quite impressed with the leader's unparalleled commanding abilities. Harkenrider was responsible for all activities of the US government in Punjab during his stay in Lahore. Now, he works at his country's embassy in London as a senior diplomat.
In an interview, Harkenrider said Sharif's "leadership skills, dynamism, and vision” allow him to make sure the goals he has set are delivered in practical form.
“It's not only his strategic vision of where to take his province but also a practical capacity to implement that vision in day-to-day life of his country and his city.
"That’s something completely unique in my experience in the developing world. I have never seen anyone who is that capable of matching vision and execution as Shahbaz Sharif was."
Despite having served in a “dozen countries”, it was Sharif out of all the leaders he had met to date who left a lasting impression, the senior US diplomat noted.
“In Shahbaz Sharif, I saw both a strategic vision for where to go, blended with dexterity in understanding how to get there, a capacity to visualise and implement the future," Harkenrider stated.
The diplomat explained how there are leaders who have either of the two qualities but that it is "fairly rare to find somebody who blends both", which is why he found Sharif to be "quite impressive and unique in my experience”.
People like Shahbaz Sharif are needed in leadership roles in order to pave the way for genuine development, Harkenrider continued, likening him to Robert Moses — an instrumental character in the history of New York.
The book “called The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A Caro shows you what that kind of energy can do to transform a city, transform a state to bring together the powers of the government for a collective good wedded to a vision and that’s what I saw in Shahbaz Sharif".
"I saw in him a man of compelling vision with real leadership and management skills and the capacity to translate concepts into action and that is unique in politics.
"Very few leaders actually have that ability," Harkenrider stressed.
The US diplomat said that Sharif is a “good man" and he provided great leadership to the people of Punjab.
"I tell you that we were working hard to try to make things a little better and try to improve the US-Pakistan relations and try to invest in Pakistan’s success.
The Punjabi culture: Harkenrider said that there was a whole depth to the Punjabi culture, and particularly, the Lahori traditions.
“It goes very deep. It has deep historical roots. I am a Persian speaker so I was able to understand some of the cultural foundations of the Punjab.
"I ran the ambassador’s cultural preservation fund and contributed towards conservations and preservations of some of Punjab’s great cultural heritage and historical monuments" from shrines in Multan to mosques in Lahore.
"I am a historian by background and diplomat by profession. It was a great fusion of our assistance resources and Pakistan’s rich deep history. And it gave me a great appreciation for the country’s texture.”
Harkenrider said the fact that the US and Pakistan were unhappy with each other earlier and both were asking the other to do more shows the nations' underlying strategic co-dependence.
He said the US placed quite a lot of importance to its relations with Pakistan and vice versa.
“We work together on shared priorities and not only in the security sphere but in the economic sphere too."
Over the past decade and a half, the US has provided over $50 billion in economic and military assistance to Pakistan, which, in turn, reflects the "tremendous priority that we have for relations with your country” and underlines how it considers Pakistan to have the potential to become "a great Asian success story".
Observing the country's economic growth during the last few years, "the tremendous success in energy, culture, and free media, this is an Asian success story that is waiting to happen and I am proud to be part of that".
And the US' emphasis on Pakistan "is not misplaced when you consider the tremendous potential of the country in contributing towards a prosperous Asian future,” the diplomat said.
All in all, "it was great to have a partner like Shahbaz Sharif who was clearly very effective in getting things done”, Harkenrider concluded.
Our Lahore corresponden adds: Turkish Ambassador Sadiq Babur Gargon on Sunday called upon Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for his farewell meeting. Ideas were exchanged on issues of mutual interest, promotion of Pak-Turk relationship as well as enhancing cooperation in different sections. The chief minister praised the services of Gargon for the promotion of Pak-Turk relations and expressed good wishes for him. He said that compelling role of Gargon would always be remembered and he would always remain in “our heart as a great friend of Pakistan”.
He said the brotherly relationship of Pakistan and Turkey was associated with history, religion and culture and both countries cherished their self-explanatory friendship. Both the countries were tied to an eternal relationship of love and respect as Turkey proved to be a true friend of Pakistan in difficult times. He said Pakistan and Turkey were like one soul in two bodies and “we have to promote cooperation in trade, economy and other sectors”. He said many Turkish companies were investing in Punjab as there was a huge margin of investment in housing, infrastructure, health and vocational training.
The Turkish ambassador said Punjab set extraordinary development records under the leadership of Shahbaz Sharif and moved forward rapidly to attain development goals.
He said the CM’s role in promoting Pak-Turk ties was praiseworthy and he would always remember the love and respect given to him by Pakistanis, especially Punjabis. He said the CM was a visionary leader.
Later, Shahbaz arranged a dinner in honour of Gargon. Consul General of Turkey Sardar Deniz was present at the dinner. Meanwhile, addressing a meeting at the Civil Secretariat through video link, Shahbaz said the provision of resources worth billions of rupees and latest reforms had enriched health facilities in the province. The Hepatitis Control Programme shielded people and free medicines were being provided to patients of hepatitis and TB. Till now, 15,000 patients had been provided free medicines at their doorsteps, he said and added the Punjab government would achieve the target of delivering free medicines to 100,000 hepatitis patients by June 2018.
The CM said that in the 70-year history of Pakistan, patients were never given medicines at their doorsteps. He said a programme for establishing modern Hepatitis Filter Clinics was being carried out in districts and 60 small hepatitis clinics had been made functional at the Tehsil level He directed launching a hepatitis awareness campaign.
The CM directed steps to enhance the capacity of the Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare and devise a management course plan for medical superintendents.
Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan told the meeting incinerators to be installed at 13 spots had arrived and the registration of hair salons and beauty parlours was under way to prevent hepatitis.
Provincial Minister of Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, Special Assistant Muhammad Ahmed Khan, the chief secretary, the Planning and Development chairman, the health secretary and other officials attended the meeting.
In his message on the International Child Rights Day, Shahbaz said: “Children are our future and most cherished asset.” He said children should be treated with compassion as today's children were tomorrow's architects. If they were given proper education and training from childhood, it would promote confidence in them. He said the Punjab government took measures to eliminate the curse of child labour. Children working at brick kilns were admitted to schools. He said: “On this day, we need to resolve that all sections of society will ensure privileges of kids in Pakistan.”
He also lamented a traffic accident at Kala Shah Kaku. Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, he prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed the administration to give them best medical treatment.