interview www.bahrainthismonth.com 40 September 2022 LEADING THE COMMUNITY Bahrain and Pakistan enjoy a longstanding diplomatic partnership, with bilateral relations beginning in 1971. Since then, the Pakistani community in Bahrain has grown considerably, with the embassy estimating that there are more than 100,000 Pakistanis currently residing on the island. Bahrain This Month spoke to the Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Excellency Muhammad Ayub, about his diplomatic career and his plans to bolster ties between the two nations. Your excellency, you have had a distinguished career so far. Can you give us a brief overview of your diplomatic postings and missions to date? During my career in the Foreign Service of Pakistan, I held various diplomatic assignments at Pakistan’s Missions Abroad, including Cairo, New York, Brussels and London. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I served as Deputy Director (South East Asia Pacific), Director (Arab Affairs) and Director (Europe). Then I spent four years in the UK as the Deputy High Commissioner, and now this is my first Ambassadorship here in the Kingdom of Bahrain. How do you feel about living in Bahrain? What are your key observations about the country and how does it compare to your previous postings? It’s an amazing experience being in Bahrain so far. Two things struck me; firstly, the level of economic development attained under the dynamic leadership of His Majesty King Hamad, and secondly, just how well the COVID-19 pandemic was handled here. I came from the UK, which has one of the best healthcare systems in the world and the difference was stark. Bahrain’s vaccination rollout was extremely efficient. The UK has a large Pakistani diaspora, as does Bahrain, with lots of cultural and social values evident. In Bahrain, there is a huge political solidarity with the two countries and a strong relationship between the leaders. I’ve been very fortunate to represent my country in a variety of cultures. The warmth and hospitality I have received has been amazing, I feel at home here. What do you consider to be your most significant achievement in this Bahrain posting? When I arrived, we were still in the middle of the pandemic so it was difficult to find a footing. After a year, it’s difficult to register a tangible achievement, but I can say that I have particularly focused on two things. The first is the activation of dormant relations between various ministerial departments of both countries. This gave them fresh impetus moving forwards to both: solidify and expand the ties between us, which has been done by establishing joint working groups at the ministerial level and by hosting visits. Secondly, I believe I have achieved some success in providing effective online consular services. We receive many requests in person for passports, extensions of ID, power of attorney services and much more. I took a lead in making this much easier to do digitally to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==