KARACHI: A grand tribute ceremony was recently organized in honor of the prominent Pakistani-American personality Arif Zafar Mansuri by senior journalist, columnist, and editor of Weekly Urdu Link (USA) Shabbir Ahmed Ghori.
The elegant event took place at the Services Mess Club, beginning with the recitation of the Holy Quran by the well-known lawyer Nasir Rizwan Khan, followed by the singing of the National Anthem of Pakistan. The ceremony was hosted by Mehrin Ishaq Qazi, who first invited the host of the evening, Shabbir Ahmed Ghori, to address the audience.
In his remarks, Shabbir Ghori highlighted the various aspects of Arif Zafar Mansuri’s life, stating that though he resides in America, his heart beats for Pakistan. He shared that Mansuri envisions Pakistan as a socially, economically, and scientifically developed country. Even during this visit, he has brought several programs and ideas focused on Pakistan’s economy.
Mansuri is a successful industrialist, a neutral journalist, Chairman of the Friends of Pakistan organization, and an anchorperson on ARY Digital. His TV show, The Mansuri Show, featuring interviews with prominent personalities, is popular among Pakistani audiences.
He is also the Managing Editor of the weekly newspapers Pakistan Link and Urdu Link published from the United States. Urdu Link is the most widely read Urdu weekly in North America, with over 18,000 subscribers.
Following Ghori’s address, Fida Hussain Soomro, Producer and Head of Current Affairs at PTV Karachi, was invited to speak. He said that although he met Mr. Mansuri only fifteen days ago, he was deeply impressed by his patriotic spirit, humanitarian outlook, and charming personality.
Next, Amjad Hussain Shah, General Manager of PTV Karachi, was invited to speak. He praised Mr. Mansuri as a multi-talented individual who has mastered many fields of life. Quoting the poet Sarwar Barabankvi, he said, “There are some people you meet and instantly fall in love with”—and that’s how he felt after meeting Mr. Mansuri for the first time. He extended an invitation for another session to benefit from Mansuri’s economic insights.
Abrar Bakhtiar, Editor of Daily Ausaf, stated that Mr. Mansuri is simultaneously an industrialist, anchor, journalist, and community leader—truly a gift from God.
Saeed Khalid Fatemi, author of “Namurad Karachi Ka Bamurad Musannif” (an acclaimed book both in Pakistan and the U.S.), said that he first met Mr. Mansuri 18 years ago. He described him as not only a successful industrialist and renowned journalist but also a true patriot who, while living in America, continues to fulfill his responsibilities toward Pakistan—an admirable feat.
Guest of honor Arif Zafar Mansuri, in his address, first thanked Shabbir Ghori for organizing such a wonderful event. He acknowledged Ghori not just as a great journalist, editor, and bureau chief, but also a remarkable human being. He also expressed gratitude to the friends, relatives, and journalists who honored him with their presence.
Mansuri introduced his friend Kamran Butt, a university mate from NED University and owner of Kamran Engineering Pvt. Ltd. He also introduced Minahil, a talented 17-year-old student from Rehan School, who has already completed 200 podcasts in English. He noted that bright girls like her are the future of Pakistan.
He briefly shared his journey from the streets of Karachi to success in America, stating that his achievements—from education at NED University to industrial ventures in the U.S.—were made possible by his parents’ prayers, the efforts of his teachers, and the support of his friends.
He emphasized that making money should not be the sole purpose of life—loyalty to one’s country and love for humanity are far more important.
He gave special mention to his two initiatives: Urdu Markaz International and Friends of Pakistan.
Urdu Markaz International aims to promote the Urdu language and support Urdu authors and literature.
Quoting a verse that brought applause from the audience:
“Urdu ko ek din mita denge jahan se,
Ye baat bhi kambakht ne Urdu mein kahi hai.”
(They say they'll one day erase Urdu from the world
And ironically, they said this in Urdu.)
Friends of Pakistan is a non-political platform, created purely out of love for Pakistan. It has over 350 members, has no membership fees, conditions, or formalities, and is meant for those who simply love Pakistan.
He further said that although he is referred to in the U.S. as a Pakistani-American, he celebrates both Pakistan and America’s independence days. “Pakistan is our mother; America is our choice,” he remarked.
He confidently asserted that Pakistan is not a country to be ignored. It is the fifth-largest nation among more than 200 countries, with over 70% of its population under 30 and mineral reserves worth $7.5 trillion. “Pakistan is not a poor country—we just have a strange passion for staying poor.”
He expressed concern that the Pakistani government only values overseas Pakistanis for their money but doesn’t truly recognize them as part of the nation. “We are never included in policymaking, yet we are always ready to contribute to Pakistan’s economic stability,” he said.
Ending with the verse:
“Shikwah zulmat-e-shab se toh behtar hai,
Apne hisse ki koi shama jala kar jaayein.”
(Instead of complaining about the darkness of night,
Let us light a candle of our own.)
The event concluded with a lavish and delicious dinner. Among the attendees were Allama Ehsaan Siddiqui, diplomatic reporter Zahid Karani, Hassan Abbas (Daily Express), Asghar Umar (ARY), Khurshid Rahmani (Channel 24), senior journalists Shams Kario, Nadeem Israr Usmani, former PTV producer Saeed Ahmed Saeed, advocate Siddiq Kaladia, Tariq Shadab, Engineer Naveed Jafri, and renowned singer Aroosa Ali, along with numerous distinguished individuals from various walks of life.
