Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Austria Ms Andrea Wicke on behalf of the President of Austria, on Thursday, bestowed on the Protocol Office of the embassy, Mr Ashraf Khan ‘Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria.’
The citation she read out on the occasion on behalf of the Austrian President, said the medal was presented to Mr Ashraf Khan in appreciation of his commitment and dedication to the Austrian embassy and Austria and in strengthening its relations with Pakistan.
One of the reasons Ashraf’s father was associated with the Embassy of Austria, he also worked sincerely and is deeply connected with the embassy, the citation said. Mr Ashraf initially taken in as assistant, learned quickly and due to his comprehension and professional competence soon became an indispensable pillar for the embassy combining almost all its institutional knowledge with great experience and diplomatic skills.
The ambassador acknowledged Khan’s extraordinary skills as he almost always achieved the desired goals wherever possible. His assessment of contacts based on the wealth of experience has often put the embassy on the right path in building relationships and networks that are fruitful for it works.
In 2021, the embassy was also able to benefit significantly from his network, language skills and experience during the evacuation of the Austrian nationals from Afghanistan. She also commended Khan’s skills in dealing with media and said he was always up to date about Pakistan, its turbulent political development, security situation and sent timely warnings in time. “This very often saved the embassy from delicate security situations and wrong decisions and enabled the consulate section to deal with it promptly,” she read from the citation.
Due to these outstanding and consistently excellent services to the republic of Austria, Mr Khan is awarded ‘Decoration of Honour in Gold for services to the Republic of Austria.”
After reading the citation, Ambassador Wicke also addressed Khan directly and acknowledged that his contributions were nothing short of extraordinary. “You have really been a steadfast pillar of support and your efforts have significantly strengthened ties between our embassy and our Pakistani interlocutors at all levels from highest political to culture, education, tourism, artists etc. “This is really outstanding. This decoration is a token of Austrian people’s appreciation for your remarkable services and unwavering dedication.”
On a personal note she said for her it was an especially joyful moment as from her first day in the embassy, she not only had that great support but he became very dear to her heart too.
Mr Khan’s journey began with the Austrian embassy 30 years ago and from the very beginning he demonstrated exceptional work ethics and an indomitable spirit. In his vote of thanks, Ashraf expressed gratitude to the ambassador, the Austrian government and its people for the esteemed recognition. “This honour not only represents a personal achievement but also underscores a strong bond of friendship and cooperation between the Austrian embassy and the Pakistani interlocutors. He also thanked his parents, his wife Rozina whose ‘encouragement and belief in me has been the bedrock of my journey.”
