Asian expats saddened by Prince Naif’s death

Faiz Al-Najdi
Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Many in the expatriate community in the Kingdom were saddened by the death of Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior.

Tariq Soomro, a Pakistani IT businessman in Riyadh, said it was a very sad moment in the history of Saudi Arabia. He added that the late Crown Prince was a true friend of Pakistan. He said like him, the entire Pakistani community in the Kingdom was grieved at this sad news.
 

Dr. Mansour Memon, a noted Pakistani physician and a social worker in Riyadh, said Prince Naif was a soft-spoken man. He was credited for a broad campaign against the growth of extremism in the Kingdom. He had a soft corner towards brotherly Islamic country Pakistan.

Asghar Qureshi, a Pakistani businessman in Riyadh, expressed his extreme sorrow by saying that the death Crown Prince Naif “is a great loss to Saudi Arabia and to the entire Islamic world. He will be missed a lot.”

Rana Khalid, a Riyadh-based writer, said Crown Prince Naif was known as a kind and compassionate person and was engaged in charity work to better the lives of the poor and the disadvantaged. “He is in fact the chief architect of security in the Kingdom,” he added.

Jawaid Ali, an Indian chartered accountant in Riyadh, said he had no words to express his sorrow at the passing of Crown Prince Naif. During his time as minister of interior, the prince was able to make commendable achievements in ensuring peace and security in the country.

Mahmud Bajwa, a Pakistani economist in Riyadh, said Prince Naif was an honest person and a staunch Muslim. “I had great respect for him and with his death Pakistan has lost a great friend,” he said.
 

Asif Qureshi, a Pakistani academic in Riyadh, said Prince Naif’s death was a great blow not only to Saudi Arabia but also to Pakistan and to the entire Muslim Ummah. “He worked very hard to curb terrorism in Saudi Arabia and for making Saudi Arabia a cradle of peace and harmony,” he added.

Tasneem Amjad, a Pakistani writer and social worker based in Riyadh, expressed her profound sorrow at the passing of Crown Prince Naif. “He will be long remembered for his services to his country and people,” she added.

Ambreen Faiz Ahmad, another Pakistani woman writer from Riyadh, said she became very sad when her husband broke the news to her. “I was very sad especially because of the fact that this was another tragedy after the recent death of Crown Prince Sultan,” she said.

Nazar Malik, a Pakistani academic, expressed his sadness at this sad news. “All credit goes to Crown Prince Naif for defeating terrorism and for protecting the lives of the Saudis and the expatriates in the Kingdom,” he added.
 

Ehsan Ul Haque, a social worker in Jeddah, Prince Naif was much revered among common Saudis. He also mentioned that he was a true friend of Pakistan and very sympathetic toward the cause of stranded Pakistanis languishing in shanty camps in Bangladesh.
 

American Irshad Salim, a construction consultant in Jeddah, expressed his profound sorrow over the demise of Crown Prince Naif. He said his death was a great loss for the Muslim world. He also added that he was a great source of strength and inspiration for Saudis and Muslims all over the world. “His death will be largely mourned in the entire Muslim world and he will be long remembered for his outstanding contributions," he said.
 

Shafiq Ul Islam, a Bangladeshi engineer in Jeddah, said he was shocked to hear this sad news. He said Crown Prince Naif was a good leader. In his long tenure as interior minister he was able to lay down an effective security apparatus. “He was also a friend of Bangladesh,” he added.
 

Pervez Naushahi, a Pakistani manager in Al-Khobar, was visibly shocked at this sad news. He said that with his long standing as the interior minister Prince Naif was amongst the pioneers in shaping the security policy of the Kingdom. “Under his watch Saudi Arabia became a secure and safe place for Saudis and expatriates alike,” he added.
 

Jannat, a Sri Lankan operations manager in Jubail, said this was a very sad moment for all expatriates living and working in Saudi Arabia. “We hope and pray the Saudis are able to overcome this grief and move on as soon as possible,” he added.
 

Mahmood Siddiqui, a food technologist in Hofuf, said this was a tragic moment for the Kingdom. “Saudi Arabia is our second home and the tragedy and sorrow of the Saudis our sorrow and tragedy. At this moment of sadness we express our solidarity with them,” he added.

Aziz Khan, a leader of the Muhibban-e-Pakistan in Jeddah, was very sad after hearing this tragic news. “In his death Saudi Arabia has lost a devoted leader and Pakistan has a lost a trusted friend”, he added.

Syed Riaz Hussain Bukhari, a financial expert in Jeddah, said Saudi-Pak relations are very strong like two trusted friends. On the same lines the relationship between Pakistanis and the Saudis also remained like between two real brothers. “With that extension the grief and sorrow of Saudi Arabia and the Saudis are like that of our own. We also remain extremely at this tragic news”, he added.

Rizwan Ahmed, a Pakistani engineer based in Al-Khobar, said Prince Naif’s death came at a critical moment when region is in turmoil. He hoped and prayed the Saudis and Saudi Arabia are able to reconcile with this tragedy befallen on them especially as Crown Prince Sultan also recently passed away. “He will remembered by us Pakistanis for he was a true friend of Pakistan”, he added.

Dr. Riaz Ahmed Khawaja, Pakistani medical practitioner and a social worker in Riyadh, mentioned that as a part of the medical team of the late King Khaled, he had an opportunity to have met the Crown Prince Naif in person. “He shall be long remembered for bringing peace and tranquility to the Kingdom”, he added.
 

Dr. Asad Rumi, another Pakistani cardiac surgeon in Riyadh, said that he was also lucky to have met the Crown Prince Nayef on few occasions while he was a part of the medical team of Crown Prince Sultan. “He said he had a reputation of a strict disciplinarian who did not tolerate indiscipline of any sort. He was also known for putting the right people in the right place”, he mentioned.

Ishrat Salim, a Pakistani business professional in Jeddah, mentioned that his death was a great loss to Saudi Arabia. “He was one of the strongest pillars of the monarchy and his gap will be very difficult to be filled,” he added.