Welcome speech of Dr. Masuma Hasan Chairperson, The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs 1 October 2016 In Memory of Fatehyab Ali Khan Mr. Raza Rabbani Chairman Senate of Pakistan Mr. Raza Rabbani, distinguished members of the audience, on behalf of The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, I welcome you, particularly Mr. Raza Rabbani who has honoured us by sparing time from his busy schedule to be with us this afternoon. In the region in which we live, there has been a strong parliamentary tradition, There were many stalwarts. The tradition continued after the creation of Pakistan but was eroded as elected assemblies became “victims of successive martial laws. Today, however, Mr. Raza Rabbani is a distinguished frontline parliamentarian and he has had a brilliant parliamentary career in recognition of which our state has bestowed upon him the highest civil award of Pakistan, Nishan-i-Imtiaz. He has been a member of the Senate of Pakistan for six terms since 1993, rising to the coveted position of Chairman of the Senate. Renowned for legislative drafting, he has co-authored and piloted the bills for the 184, 19%, and 20 constitutional amendments and drafted numerous other bills for the Senate. As Chairman Implementation Commission he completed the process of devolution under the 18* constitutional amendment in record time. He has been member and chairman of many of the Senate’s standing committees and also federal minister, some of which posts he resigned on principle. He has held the positions of both leader of the house and leader of the opposition in the Senate. It interested me that he is a member of the Ethics Committee of Socialist International London, apart, of course, from being a member of the executive committee of the Intra Parliamentary Union in Geneva.Mr. Raza Rabbani is the author of two books, A Biography of Pakistani Federalism and LFO a Fraud on the Constitution and of numerous articles in journals and newspapers. He was imprisoned for two and a half years during the struggle for democracy and was a victim of police brutality in 1998. This event is being held in memory of Fatehyab Ali Khan who, as many of you would know, was in the forefront of all movements for democracy in our country. Since his early youth he was imprisoned for many years and externed and interned. He was a fearless fighter for the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, social justice, the rights of the poor and oppressed, and for decency in public life. He wrote extensively on contemporary issues, constitutional anomalies, systems of representation and federalism. But he had a remarkable relationship with this Institute, of which he became a member long ago. When, after functioning as an independent organization since 1947, this Institute was arbitrarily taken over by General Ziaul Haq through a presidential ordinance in 1980, it was because of Fatehyab’s grit, determination and bravery that we fought the battle for its restoration and got it back from the Supreme Court in 1993. Our petitioners were Rashid Razvi, Arif Hasan and Mazharul Jamil. Today I would like to remember also Mr. Yahya Bakhtiar who understood this injustice and advised and helped us. Fatehyab later became Chairman of this Institute. After he passed away, it was decided that eminent people would speak in his memory on issues of public importance and as you all know, Pakistan faces many internal and external challenges today. It is with the greatest pleasure, therefore, Rabbani Sahib that I invite you to address the audience.