Financial Risk Manager

Honourable members,

While I had been mistreated in my career with a number of employers who were found delinquent and involved in unethical and unlawful acts, Allah has been very kind to me and I have always been bestowed new opportunities in my career, which included my role as Financial Management Consultant of the World Bank, Director at Ford Rhodes Robson Morrow, Islamabad, Controller of a company of Royal Dutch Shell Group, and now amongst my fellow professionals, I believe I am the only candidate for the Council who has the honour to be an International Civil Servant, with diplomatic privileges and full opportunity of bringing good name to the country and the profession.

I have served on the following committees of the ICAP:

International Affairs Committee (propounded the idea and drafted ToR of this Committee); Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee; Technical Advisory Committee; and Publications Committee.

I have been on the visiting faculty of the following professional bodies, universities and various academies and training centers of civil servants, government officers and professional staff.

Academy for Educational Planning and Management at Islamabad; MBA department of Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, first visiting faculty of Allama Iqbal Open University and Preston University (now claimed as the largest private university of the country) at Rawalpindi; Pakistan Audit and Accounts Training Institute established under the auspices of the Auditor General of Pakistan; Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan, Islamabad Centre; National Bank Staff College, Islamabad; Oil and Gas Training Institute of the Oil and Gas Development Corporation of Pakistan at Islamabad; and Teaching for the refresher course classes of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Rawalpindi.

In 1993, I emerged as one of the two members of ICAP from Islamabad who openly opposed the idea of recognizing the membership of CPA US, ACCA and CIMA UK for admission to ICAP without following the principle of reciprocity and quality control. While I spoke vehemently on the subject in seminar and gave shut up call, my views were accorded recognition for a technical write up on the subject. While the issue of granting undue recognition to the accountants of foreign bodies was almost killed and, I initiated a new thinking in the ICAP i.e. to seek recognition of our own accountants abroad instead of recognising all foreign accountants without asking them to study our tax and corporate laws and regulatory systems. It prompted me to write an article on the International Recognition of Pakistan Accountants which denied its publication in the Pakistan Accountant for no good reason.

On December 31, 2001, I left my country and joined the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, Iran as Head of Finance Department. In Iran, apart from my normal duties of CFO and the Principal Advisor to the Secretary General, I have made some worthwhile achievements that include working as a senior consultant on staff training and development programme with the National Iranian Oil Company, Petroleum University and the Institute of Management Research & Education of the Ministry of Energy, Iran, Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Iran, Tehran Centre of the International Management Institute of Belgium and International University of Chabahar. In a country where everything is in Farsi, I have made special efforts to promote the cause of the profession and to serve a larger number of accounting community as their coach, mentor and career counsellor. In Iran, I have been teaching courses on Advance Professional Development and thus bringing a good name to the country, ICAP and the profession.

I have also written articles and edited some monographs which have been published in the Pakistan Accountant. I am also a candidate for the appointment of member on the International Financial Reporting Interpretation Committee (IFRIC) of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) from Middle East and Asia. I took the initiative and with the support of the Pakistan Embassy in Tehran, we formed Pakistan Professional Forum (PPF) in Iran and I have been nominated as the first Secretary General of PPF, Iran. I have also contributed my time, money and efforts through charitable and educational organizations such as Rotract Club, Universities and academic and training institutions. I have participated in International Conferences and travelled to a number of countries in Europe, Africa, Far East and Middle East.
As the saying goes, ”Innovative people don’t do different things but do things differently”, in my opinion the following few areas are important among others as in all these areas I have left a different mark:

Continuous Professional Development activity in new Economic & Business Environment; Updating of Knowledge of Members by bringing out publications, holding seminars, conferences and webinars; Representation to Government on various business and economic matters.

“I have my promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep”, I believe I have my responsibility substantially towards the profession and to members and now come to you with more ideas for future.

Goals for the future:

I sincerely hope that MY CONTRIBUTIONS AND MY ASPIRATIONS WILL PROMPT YOU TO CAST AT LEAST YOUR FIFTH PREFERENCE VOTE TO ME IF NOT THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD OR THE FOUTH. Nevertheless, I expect first preference vote from my overseas brothers as I am the only overseas candidate in the history of ICAP elections. My brothers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad where I belong should cast at least their second preference vote and my brothers in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and other locations can cast their third, fourth or fifth preference vote. It is my desire to meet each of you in person but time may not permit it. However, you can reach me through telephone, SMS and email and enlighten me with significant issues that you would like me to take cognizance of whether or not this journey takes me to the ICAP Council seat.

I now leave the verdict in your able hands with my prayer of the Holy Quran – He profits most who serve best (Al Quran).