The departing ambassador to Finland, Osmo Lipponen, bestowed the honour of Knight, First-class of the Order of the Lion of Finland, upon Honorary Consul of Finland Shahid Ahmed Ataullah at an event here on Monday night.
The event also served as a farewell for the Finnish ambassador and embassy from Pakistan.
“From a country with the world’s best environment and education and almost little or no corporate or political corruption, it was a great honour to be appointed as an honorary consul,” said Ataullah 70, who has served as honorary consul of Finland in Pakistan since 1995 and is now retiring.
He said that the Finnish government was closing its embassy in Islamabad for various reasons, including security.
The Dutch will now handle the functions of the Finnish embassy in Pakistan. Ambassador Lipponen appreciated Ataullah’s work, saying it had been a difficult job, but he had managed to bring Finland and Pakistan closer.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2012.
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