Dean of diplomatic corps bids adieu to envoys

Islamabad
A group of seven persons, diplomats and heads of international organisations -- the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq Rushdi Mahmood Al-Ani; Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Said Mohammed Hindam; Ambassador of the Republic of Italy, Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani; Ambassador of the Belgium, Peter Claes; Country Director, World Bank Pakistan, Rachid Benmessaoud; Country Director, International Labor Organization, Francesco D' Ovidio; Chief of Mission, International Organization for Migration, Enrico Ponziani -- were given an official send off by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, ambassador of Argentina, Rodolfo Martin-Saravia.
The reception was held at the embassy of Argentina and the occasion was also used to welcome the ambassadors-designate of Spain, Carlos Morales; Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Marzouq Al-Zahrani and Syria, Radwan Loutfi. Needless to say the reception was well attended, as colleagues of all those who are leaving were present to say goodbye.
In his address the dean said a few words about each individual, taking into account the work they had done during their stay in Pakistan as well as their personal interaction with the community at large –- some more than others depending on their personality! There are those who are forgotten after a few days and those who are remembered for their friendly and pleasant manner.
In response the guests of honour thanked the dean for hosting the gathering and briefly mentioned their achievements, as well as their personal opinion about their stay in Pakistan.
The diplomats, who have already given speeches about their sojourn in the country and their feelings on leaving, were quite brief while the others took just a little longer, realizing that long speeches would not go down too well with guests standing to listen to them! Of course, there were a few regrets; a touch of humour and praises for the people of Pakistan and their hospitality, especially from the diplomats. They also gave little nuggets of good advice to the newcomers, like –- “travel by the GT road and not by the motorway, because there you will see the vibrant life and colours of Pakistan” voiced by the Belgian envoy!
In conclusion, a miniature chest of drawers made of wood with inlaid brass patterns -- a traditional craft of Pakistan -- was presented to each of the chief guests, the inside cover embossed with the names of their senior colleagues; newcomers were introduced and refreshments were served. Some guests rushed back to their offices while others stayed on to say their final farewells and exchange pleasantries.