South Asian Pulse

Expatriates Express Deep Sorrow at the Passing Away of Crown Prince Nayef By Faiz Al-Najdi

Opinion Survey By: Faiz Al-Najdi
Email: faizalnajdi@gmail.com

The expatriate community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed their heartfelt sorrow at the sad passing away of Crown Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. An opinion survey has been conducted from the expatriates throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom and this is what they had to say on this sad occasion.

Engr. Tariq Soomro – a Pakistani IT businessman in Riyadh - said that it was a very sad moment in the history of Saudi Arabia. He added that Crown Prince Nayef was a true friend of Pakistan. He said like him entire Pakistani expatriates in the Kingdom are very much grieved at this sad news.

Dr. Mansour Memon – a noted Pakistani physician and a social worker in Riyadh – said that HRH Crown Prince Nayef Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (may Allah bless him) was a soft-spoken and the 23rd son of King Abdul-Aziz, the family patriarch who founded the kingdom in 1932. He added that Crown Prince Nayef was credited for a broader campaign to prevent the growth of Islamic militancy in the Kingdom. He further added that Crown Prince Nayef had a soft corner towards brotherly Islamic country Pakistan.


Asghar Qureshi – a noted Pakistani businessman in Riyadh – expressed his extreme sorrow at the sad demise of the crown Prince Nayef. He said his death is a great loss to Saudi Arabia and to the entire Islamic world. “He will be missed a lot”, he added.

Rana Khalid – a writer in Riyadh – said that Crown Prince Nayef 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 for the peace and security in the Kingdom”, he added.

Sadaf Fareedi – a Pakistani poet and a professional architect – also expressed sorrow at the sad passing away of Crown Prince Nayef. He said that this was a great loss for Saudi Arabia. According to him Crown Prince was a strong leader with great vision and his gap will be difficult to be filled.

Aulad Hussain Bhuiyyan – a Bangladeshi civil engineer in Riyadh – mentioned that Crown Prince Nayef was a real friend of Bangladesh. “We feel very sad at his passing away”, he added.


Jawaid Ali – an Indian Chartered Accountant in Riyadh – said he had no words to express his sorrow at the sad passing away of Crown Prince Nayef. According to him during his time as a minister of interior of Saudi Arabia, he was able to achieve commendable peace and security. “This alone was a great achievement of him”, he added.

Munib – an Indian Manager – said that he was personally very saddened to have heard this sad news. According to him Crown Prince Nayef was a very popular personality amongst a common Saudi who viewed him with utmost respect. “He was also a strong proponent of the Saudi societal values, culture and heritage”, he added.

Prof. Mahmud Bajwa – a Pakistani economist in Riyadh – said that with his death Pakistan has lost a great friend. “He was an honest person and a staunch Muslim and I had great respect for him", he added.

Dr. Asif Qureshi – a Pakistani academic in Riyadh – said that his 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.

Mrs. Tasneem Amjad – a lady Pakistani writer and a social worker in Riyadh – also expressed her profound grief and sorrow at the sad passing away of Crown Prince Nayef. “He will be long remembered for his services for his country and his people”; she added.

Mrs. Ambreen Faiz Ahmad – another Pakistani lady writer from Riyadh – said that she heard this sad news from her husband. “I was very sad to hear this news especially because of the fact that this was another tragedy after the recent passing away of Crown Prince Sultan”, she added.

Prof. Dr. Nazar Malik – a Pakistani academic in the field of electrical engineering – expressed his sadness at this sad news. He said that after 9/11 Saudi Arabia was in the grip of terrorism. “All credit goes to Crown Prince Nayef for defeating terrorism and for protecting the lives of the Saudis and the expatriates in the Kingdom”, he added.

Dr. Riaz Ahmed Khawaja – a noted Pakistani medical practitioner and a social worker in Riyadh – mentioned that as a part of the medical team of the late King Khaled, he have had few chances to have met Crown Prince Nayef face to face. “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 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 strict disciplinarian who did not tolerate indiscipline of any sort. He was also known for putting the right people on 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.

Ehsan Ul Haque – a professional engineer and a social worker in Jeddah – said that he was a much venerated personality amongst the common Saudis. He also mentioned that he was a true friend of Pakistan and the Pakistanis especially very sympathetic towards the Stranded Pakistanis who were languishing in the ghetto shanty camps in Bangladesh.

Irshad Salim – a US citizen and a construction contract management Consultant in Jeddah – also expressed his profound sorrow over the sad demise of Crown Prince Nayef. He said that his death was a great loss for the Muslim world. He also added that he was a great source of strengths and inspirations for the Saudis and the Muslims all over, especially for the Pakistanis. “His death would be largely mourned in the entire Muslim world – and he will be long remembered for his outstanding services for Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world", he added.

Shafiq Ul Islam – a Bangladeshi engineer in Jeddah – said that he was shocked to hear this sad news. He said Crown Prince Nayef was a good leader. In his long term as an interior minister he was able to lay down an effective security apparatus and thereby making Saudi Arabia free of terrorism. “He was also a friend of my country Bangladesh”, 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 lost a trusted friend”, he added.

Syed Riaz Hussain Bukhari – a finance professional in Jeddah – said that the 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.

Engr. Rizwan Ahmed – a Pakistani engineer based in Al-Khobar – said that his death has come at a critical moment when the entire middle-east is very disturbed. He added that he hoped and prayed the Saudis and Saudi Arabia are able to reconcile with this tragedy befallen on them at a wrong time especially for the fact that Crown Prince Sultan also recently passed away. “He will be long remembered by us Pakistanis for he was a true friend of Pakistan”, he added.

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

Goel an accountant in Dammam expressed his sorrow at the sad demise of Crown Prince Nayef. He said like any other Saudis he was also very sad at this tragedy befallen on the Saudis.

Mr. Jannath – a Sri Lankan mechanical engineering operations manager in Al-Jubail – said that this was a very sad moment for all the expatriates living and working in Saudi Arabia also. “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 Hufuf – said that this was a tragic moment for the Saudis and the expatriates should display their sympathy with them. “Saudi Arabia is our second home and the tragedy and sorrow of the Saudis are like our own sorrow and tragedy. At this moment of sadness we should expression our solidarity with them”, he added.
Finally, George Kutty – an Indian Secretarial worker in Hail expressed his profound sorrow at the sad passing away of Crown Prince Nayef. Ï stand by our Saudi friends at this moment of their national tragedy”, he added.

Faiz Al-Najdi is a Riyadh based Professional engineer, a writer and a social worker;
Email: faizalnajdi@gmail.com