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Mohammad Aqil Nadeem: Living the diplomat’s life
Words Dian Septiari Photo Jerry AdigunaPakistani Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Aqil Nadeem has always had a special place in his heart for Indonesia, the country in which he had been posted three times during his 34-year diplomatic career
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Words Dian Septiari Photo Jerry Adiguna
Pakistani Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Aqil Nadeem has always had a special place in his heart for Indonesia, the country in which he had been posted three times during his 34-year diplomatic career.
“I was a junior officer at the embassy when the Reform Era was going on, so actually I witnessed the history, seeing the students doing the protest marches and witnessing the violence in mid-98,” he told The Jakarta Post recently.
Nadeem joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1984 and has held various diplomatic assignments abroad, including in the Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta in 1998 and in the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor from 1999 to 2004.
He was posted in Indonesia again as an ambassador in 2015 and will complete his three-year tenure this year.
“In fact, I’m retiring in May, so that’s why I’ll be leaving by the end of next month,” he said.
He said the first time he was in Indonesia was as a junior officer at the embassy, while the second time he worked with the UN. “When I was offered [to be posted] for a third time here, I immediately accepted because I knew the people and had so many friends. It’s easier to go to a place when you know the people than starting all over again,” he said.
Having also been assigned to diplomatic missions in London, the United Kingdom; Athens, Greece; Dushanbe,
Tajikistan; and Houston, the United States, Nadeem and his family had to adapt to the diplomatic life where they only stay in one place for several years.
He said such a life had brought him, his wife and his two sons closer. “In Pakistan, they can be with their friends and relatives, so they can [do] a lot of activities. But when we are abroad, they tend to have more time with the family to bond,” he said.
However, he said, the negative aspect fell on his children, as they could not make long-term friends since they changed schools so often. “But there are good and bad points; the good one was they can get a good education in the best schools possible and build their careers.”
He said he had brought all of his children with him before, except this time when he become ambassador to Indonesia because the children had grown up and are already in their late 20s. “My eldest one is an investment banker and the younger one is a lawyer in Pakistan,” he said.
Nadeem said his wife, Tahsina Aqil, had been very supportive of his career as a diplomat, especially during his postings in Indonesia.
“She speaks fluent Bahasa Indonesia and speaks with locals very effectively,” he said.
He said she was very fond of Indonesia and was an avid collector of Indonesian furniture. “We have so much furniture, I think our house is full of it,” he said.
He said when they had to go back to Pakistan by end of this month, they would hire a container to bring their collection back.
“We are very sad, but this is life. We had a great time in Indonesia and we will always miss it,” he said.
He said he hadn’t decided on any plan for his retirement, but he had a group of friends who may be interested in forming a foreign policy think tank. “But most of the time, I would like to enjoy my retirement and play tennis and learn to play golf,” he said.
