Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait, died last Saturday aged 86. He was 83 when he became the emir in 2020. His era is said to be quite notable even though it is the third shortest in the Kuwaiti history. Despite old age, his mind was quite fertile.

Armed with an easy demeanor, the late Sheikh Nawaf was modest and devout. It was under Sheikh Nawaf’s leadership that this Arab sheikhdom saw as many as three parliamentary elections in as many years. That his entire rule was strongly characterized by a deep conciliatory approach is a fact.

The Sheikh earned a lot of praise for issuing numerous amnesties for political prisoners, earning him the title “emir of pardons” or “emir al-affoo”. Pakistan and Kuwait enjoy a strong bilateral relationship in various areas or fields. Not only is Kuwait Pakistan’s one of the key oil import sources, it is also a country where more than 100,000 Pakistanis have been working and from where they have been sending remittances to their country regularly.

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan’s armed forces played a key role along with global coalition’s in the liberation of Kuwait in 1991.

It was last year that Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed country in the Islamic world, paid a meaningful tribute to Kuwaiti leadership’s efforts in helping resolve tensions between Gulf countries as the late emir of this sheikhdom had played a very effective role towards resumption of relations among Gulf countries.

Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar rightly declared December 18 (yesterday) as a day of mourning in Pakistan for this man of high integrity and affection along with Kuwaiti people deserves such profound expression of solidarity from the people of Pakistan.

May Almighty God always shower His blessings on the departed soul. May the State of Kuwait achieve more stability, prosperity and progress under its new leadership. Aameen.

Abu Adnan

Karachi

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023