Pakistan's new ambassador to France

Vous avez fait supérieur travail

The first time I heard about Jehanzeb Khan was in 2006 in Paris. I had a businessman friend who worked with French companies, he took me to a dinner party. It was a gathering of Paris's Businessmen , which was being attended by the Chief Executives, Directors and General Managers of big French companies. During the dinner, a French businessman revealed that he went to Karachi a few months ago on a tour, during which, his opinion about Pakistan and Pakistanis changed. I asked him "In what connection did you visit Pakistan?" He told me "I was taken to Pakistan by Jehanzeb Khan". After the Dinner I asked Makhdoom Abbas "Who is this Jehanzeb Khan?" Makhdoom looked at me and In turn asked me "Don't you know Jehanzeb Khan?" I nodded my head to show my ignorance. Makhdoom then told me "Jehanzeb Khan is the Commercial councilor In Pakistan Embassy in Paris and is extremely reknowned in French Buisness and Social circles."
I had a plan to meet Jehanzeb Khan with Mr Makdoom, but unfortunately, I could not meet him that year. Next year when I again went to Paris, I learned that Jehanzeb Khan has been posted back to Pakistan and that people miss him here in Paris.

Jehanzeb Khan's story was very interesting. Mr Khan is a DMG (Disticts Management Groups) officer. He served as Assistant Commissioner and then Deputy Commissioner in various Tehsils and Districts of Pakistan. After working in various ministries and appointments, he was appointed as Commercial Councilor in Paris in 2002. There were elections in Pakistan and in the new government Mr Humayun Akhtar was appointed as minister for Commerce and after a few months, his cousin, Mr Jehangir Tareen was appointed as Minister for Trade & Commerce. Both these men were fully aware of the importance of Buisness and Foreign investment and therefore decided to activate the commercial councilor. Meanwhile, they met with Mr Jehanzeb Khan, who had learned French by that time and was able to converse fluently in it.

The financial standing of Pakistan was better in those days while the French economy was going through a lean period. Jehanzeb Khan decided to take advantage of this situation. He first contacted with the French Cotton Industry. Mr Guillaume Sarkozy was the president of the Cotton Industry at that time. Mr Jehanzeb asked him "Your surname coincides with that of the Interior Minister, are you from the same family." Guillaume Sarkozy revealed that he was the big brother of Nicolas Sarkozy. During the meeting, they became friends. Around a thousand companies were affiliated with the giant French Cotton Industry. Meanwhile, Mr Jehanzeb took Mr Sarkozy and his wife to Karachi for a week, where he was shown the cotton and garments factories. He observed life in Karachi and liked Pakistan and Pakistani people. On his return to Paris, he invited Jehanzeb Khan to his home, where his mother was also present. He himself cooked food for Jehanzeb and a new friendship started.

Pakistan was considered a high risk state for investment and in 2005 it reached the dangerous Level-7 and was labeled with a red circle on the world map. In 2005 and 2006, when the then premier, Mr Shoukat Aziz went to USA to buy aero planes for the national carrier, PIA, the banks offered the loan at a very high rate. Pakistan Embassy in france was also tasked to improve the credit rating of Pakistan. Mr Jehanzeb khan was given this task as well. At this time, due to the enormous help in Mr Guillaume Sarkozy, Pakistan's credit rating improved from Level-7 to Level-6, as the result of which, the international bank reduced their interest on loans and also attracted international investors.

Expo 2005 was held in 2005 in Karachi. The biggest group of businessmen came from France which included representatives of 30 big companies, brought to the Expo by Mr Jehanzeb Khan. In this expo, French automaker Renault announced establishment of a car manufacturing plant in Pakistan. The cars produced in this plant would be Rs 150,000 to 200,000 cheaper that their counterparts in Pakistan and the firm also agreed for technology transfer. An agreement was reached between Pakistan and France, but work on it was stopped in 2007. In expo 2005, world famous Cash & Carry chain CarreFour also decided to establish their network in Pakistan. Their first store is operative in Fortress Stadium, Lahore, while work is in progress on other branches. In his 5 years term, Mr Jehanzeb Khan linked up Lahore School of Fashion Designing with leading fashion designers of France. These designers trained Pakistani designers and work on the first Pakistani Fashion University is underway in its place. Mr Jehanzeb Khan also brought French construction giant Vinci to Pakistan, which wanted to work on a big hydel project, but unfortunately could not succeed in the bidding. Nevertheless, it announced to support the engineering university in Pakistan. He also brought Paris Chamber of Commerce to Pakistan and helped in securing an agreement with Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This was the first ever visit and agreement by any French chamber of commerce in Pakistan. Paris chamber of commerce is the oldest in Europe. In its 100 years of existence, it has done only 11 agreements. There are two mango experts in the world, one of them being French. The French were not aware of Pakistani mangoes, whereas, we produce the best mangoes in the world. Mr Jehanzeb Khan brought the expert to Pakistan, where he was amazed to taste the Pakistani Mango.

Mr Jehanzeb Khan is one of those individuals who are an institution in themselves and can deliver wonders if allowed to work on their full potential. I was in paris when I came to know that the Government of Pakistan ahd appointed Mr Jehanzeb Khan as its Ambassador to France. This appointment was rejoiced in French business circles, but back in Pakistan, it drew a controversy. Some threw the decision in Prime Minster's court while the other in the president's. Who made this decision, we would not go into this detail, but it is a good decision as relations between Pakistan and France are entering into a new era. French president Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting Pakistan shortly, where he would announce technological support for Pakistan's for it's war against terrorism and would also offer a civil nuclear plant. Therefore, in this time, a person like Mr Jehanzeb Khan is best suited for the post, having fluency in French language, is friend's with the Sarkozy family and is known in the French business and social circles. At this delicate time, the Pakistani Embassy in France , instead of being in the hands of a Babu from the foreign office, should be in the hands of a person like Mr Jehanzeb Khan, who could transform the Pakistani Embassy into the hearts and minds of French businessmen, investors and politicians.

Such decesions are termed as " vous avez fait supérieur travail" in French, meaning that you have made a big and wise decision. While criticizing the government's bad decesions, we should also praise its good decesions and I applaud the government on this decision. If this wise decision is not reversed as is been happening in many cases, I am sure that it would bear good results.

ZERO POINT By Jawaid Chaudhry

Translated from the original version in Urdu.

Published in the editorial section of the Daily Express Newspaper.

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