He was unmatched and still unmatched

It is universally admitted truth that anybody, whether male or female, who is born will have to die and the rule has been applied to all right from day one without even  the slightest exception whatsoever and all will be subject to the rule till the dooms day as well.

Late Amir of Kuwait H. H. Shiekh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah ruled the tiny rich Islamic country for almost thirty years in continuity and breathed his last on 15^th January, 2006 and today (15^th Jan 09) on his 3^rd death anniversary I, purely at my own without any interest and or pressure, simply can not help writing that the deceased has undoubtedly created a new page in the historical books of the world leaders.

Who does mot know how leaders are being treated all over the world irrespective of their topographical situation and whether they belonged to a kingdom or a democratic country, or for that matter, an advanced country or an under developed country and one can keep on categorizing them in as many compartments as one wishes, yet the result remains the same? Most of the leaders are respected, irrespective of the percentage, not because they are truly loved from heart and respected by the public, rather on the contra, the people being awed of their authority have no option but to respect the leaders and not otherwise. Their graph of popularity starts dipping down even when they are nearing to quit the authority, what to talk of actually leaving the power. However, as and when, they quit the authority, their popularity touches the lowest possible rung which some times drops even to minus and, quite naturally, those who unluckily shift to their permanent abode are either not much remembered and or are completely forgotten in any case.

Reverting back to the caption I would like to avail this opportune to pen that I am a Pakistani and came to Kuwait in 1978 and since then I am here and, therefore, my this article is nothing but brief narration and punctuation of the events and the facts I have observed during the three decades I have spent here. No denying the fact, H. H. Sheikh Jabar has very triumphantly reined Kuwait from 1977 to 2006 and, to be very honest, I through out those long thirty years have never ever seen any demonstration, rally or procession against the Amir. He was none, but a messiah, in the truest sense of the word for his fellow compatriots who in turn at least loved him from core of their heart, if not worshipped. How could he please the whole nation without any dispute and or tussle with even a fraction of the society is really the most baffling and unanswered question? Are you also not amazed to reckon and realize as to what could have been his approach towards his country and the population numbering slightly over 3 million that he could keep them happily united?

Let me quip that in Kuwait, Amir is the Head of the State but is not an elected person like the mightiest USA, very often quoted as model, and instead, he is nominated by the royal ruling Al Sabah family to rule. What does it prove? The elected President enjoys the certified support of the people, at least of those, who voted for him but academically speaking such support is missing so far as Amir of Kuwait is concerned but resultantly he is far too ahead of the so called popular head of the state. It is neither nomination nor election which matters and counts rather it is the individual himself who either wins over his public or earns their displeasure. On his death, I have myself seen number of people both men and women in tears and crying in public belonging to the different strata of the society. Even the children, aged senior citizens and handicapped had come out on streets to register their grief on his untimely death.  It was unbelievable to see people on crutches and wheel chairs lining up the route from where his coffin was to be transported to the graveyard. What a great person had died for whom all had came out and lined up to pay their heart felt condolences. I still remember to have read in a newspaper a condolence by some expatriate captioned as ' Dead but Alive

This is unparallel and I very seriously doubt if any one can counter me on this point wherein I will prove that after the death, Kuwaiti nation has elevated the late Amir H. H. Sheikh Jaber to new heights which none could achieve till to date. The nation has named him as ' Amir of hearts ' (Ameer ul qaloob) and I think this is the maximum one could think of to respect and honor the one who is no more with them now. Moreover this title has not been conferred upon him by the present Amir or for that matter even by any NGO rather, in fact, I believe that some one must had thought of it and it clicked in such a terrific way that all of a sudden his big portraits, flags, posters . leaflets, badges and flyers sprang up and one could see them all around. One day when I stopped at one of the traffic signal, a Kuwaiti youth came to my window and gifted me with one flag and badge which I am keeping as one of the most precious memento of my life.

H. H. Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah is certainly no more with us so far his physical body is concerned but his different photographs are still being displayed on private cars and or houses very well prove that even today he is very much with his people. They have not forgotten him though it is three years now that he had died and I need not explain what happens in other countries when some leader leaves the seat at least even if you forget the death. The one who once occupied the throne is at least blamed and accused of some misdeeds if not corruption. Some are even dragged to courts to face different charges both criminal and civil. Then there are those who are even killed in the same country where once they had ruled. Some lucky or unlucky ones are to flee from their own country and live in exile for many obvious reasons and the last though not the least that most unfortunate are those rulers who died overseas but his dead body could not be buried in the country he belonged to.

I salute once again H. H. Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah and his nation for setting up unprecedented example and I wish the other nations of the world must learn from both H.H. and Kuwait.

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With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / zaidi_exdiplomat_kuwait@hotmail.com / Tel + Fax 23715102 / Mobile 66229897