Arif Zaffar Mansuri’s Services Lauded at Khalid Fatemi’ Reception in Karachi
By Our Staff Reporter
A grand reception was recently hosted in honor of renowned Pakistani-American personality Arif Zaffar Mansuri by Khalid Fatemi, a respected businessman and author. The event, held at the Services Mess, was attended by prominent figures from Pakistan’s literary, cultural, media, and political circles, highlighting the widespread admiration for Mansuri’s contributions.
Arif Zaffar Mansuri is a distinguished industrialist, senior journalist, anchorperson, and community leader. He is also the President and Managing Editor of two US-based weekly newspapers: Pakistan Link and Urdu Link.
While residing in the United States, Mansuri has played a singularly important role in representing and supporting the Pakistani community abroad. His efforts have earned him wide recognition both in the US and Pakistan.
Former Governor of Sindh, Muhammad Zubair, praised Mansuri’s multifarioius contributions. He expressed concern over Karachi’s deteriorating conditions, despite being the city that contributes 65% of national revenues.
President of the Arts Council, Ahmed Shah, commended Mansuri’s unwavering patriotism and active participation in promoting Pakistan’s image globally.
The event was admirably moderated by senior anchor Muhammad Yasir, known for his engaging style on Channel K-21.
Shabbir Ghori, Editor of Urdu Link, acknowledged Mansuri’s deep love for Pakistan and recalled how he managed to have chants of “Pakistan Zindabad” echo in a US State Senate during an Independence Day celebration.
Zeeshan Jafri lauded Khalid Fatemi’s literary work, especially his memoir “Namurad Karachi”, and called for strengthening the Pakistani lobby in the US.
Khalid Fatemi, the host, shared a heartfelt tribute to Mansuri and expressed pride in his long-time friendship with him. Though he kept his remarks brief, his sincerity was well noted.
In his keynote address, Arif Zaffar Mansuri thanked all participants, especially Khalid Fatemi. He shared an anecdote about initially being skeptical of the title “Namurad Karachi” but later being deeply impressed by the book’s content and Fatemi’s writing style.
He emphasized that Pakistan is not a weak or small country, quoting Ambassador Munir Akram to reinforce that it is a nuclear state and the world’s fifth most populous nation.
Mansuri stressed that Pakistan is not inherently poor—it is a victim of self-inflicted narratives. He attributed his success to his parents' prayers, teachers' guidance, and friends' support.
He also introduced his initiatives “Urdu Markaz International” and “Friends of Pakistan”, describing the latter as a non-political, membership-free platform purely dedicated to serving Pakistan.
The event concluded with a standing ovation as Mansuri recited Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi’s iconic verse:
“Khuda karey merī arz-e-pāk par utre
Woh fasl-e-gul jise andesha-e-zawāl na ho”
A bouquet and a commemorative shield were presented to him.
