In 2000, Kuwait's incumbent Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al
Sabah was third in line when I met him for the first time. Even then he was so
humble and informal that, at one point, I excused him to leave and stood up and
walked four steps away when he suddenly gestured with his hand that he forgot to say something.
There was a senior royal family member seated between me and
the Emir. The guest began talking to someone and I couldn’t cross him to the
emir, so I sat on the sofa with the guest between me and the Emir. In his
classic style, Sheikh Sabah had no problem reaching out to me from behind the
back of the guest, me doing the same, and then saying a couple of words in my
ears related to the subject we were discussing earlier.
I know this would’ve offended other junior sheikhs. But not
this man. Reporters and cameramen present
were surprised to see Sheikh Sabah do this. Many assumed I enjoyed a
personal relationship with him. Of course I didn’t and it just so happened that
he was familiar with my work and seized the occasion to share information.
Kuwait’s present Emir is one of key persons who had a say in the royal family's decision to share the immense oil wealth with their people and pampering them from
cradle to grave. I respect this because I know that these sheikhs could have
done what Akbar Bugti and others have done and continue to do in our country: pocket
all the riches from natural resources and leave their people suffer. Example:
the people of Dera Bugti and many other strategic districts and towns in
Pakistan.
I was checking YouTube videos and stumbled on this song, by Saudi
singer Rashid al Majid, dedicated to Sheikh Sabah in January 2011 on the fifth
anniversary of assuming the throne. I can understand the lyrics but the rest of you will enjoy the tunes.
Sounds good!!!
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