WNAM REPORT: Secretary General of the UBG, Zafar Bakhtawari, has said that Qazi Muhammad Akbar, the group leader of the Chakwal Chamber of Commerce, was a great and compassionate personality who played a vital role in giving Chakwal a distinguished identity at the national level. He remained active in serving the business community and the public until his last breath.
He expressed these views while addressing a condolence reference held in Chakwal in memory of Qazi Muhammad Akbar, organized by Khurram Abbasi, also known as Khurram Tony.
Zafar Bakhtawari said that Qazi Muhammad Akbar rendered remarkable services in promoting the Chakwal Chamber of Commerce across the country and also brought pride to Chakwal as the Vice President of FPCCI. He established strong relations with the chambers of Islamabad and other parts of the country and built a strong team in Chakwal that continues to uphold the positive identity of the chamber today.
He said the services of Qazi Muhammad Akbar are unforgettable — from the establishment of the Chakwal Chamber to his meeting with the Prime Minister for the Neelah Dullah Interchange and efforts for setting up an industrial zone. Bakhtawari added that Qazi Akbar had also advised his sons that “Chakwal is our identity, and we must always take care of this chamber and its people.”
He further said that Khurram Abbasi, also known as Khurram Tony, is a man of great heart who has paid tribute to the late Qazi Akbar by organizing this condolence reference. “May Allah bless Khurram Abbasi with prosperity and grant Qazi Muhammad Akbar the highest place in Jannat-ul-Firdaus,” he prayed.
Speaking on the occasion, Khurram Abbasi (Khurram Tony) said that people like Qazi Muhammad Akbar — sincere, kindhearted, and well-mannered — are born rarely. He possessed deep sympathy for traders, common citizens, and the needy. This condolence reference, he said, is an effort to pay tribute to his lifelong services.
Chakwal Chamber of Commerce Group Leader Khawaja Arif Yousaf said that both Qazi Muhammad Akbar and Zafar Bakhtawari played a foundational role in the establishment of the Chakwal Chamber. “In the early days of challenges, it was their guidance that helped us find the right direction,” he said.
He added that Qazi Akbar always took practical steps to solve traders’ problems — from distributing ration during the COVID pandemic to efforts for the Neelah Dullah Interchange and the establishment of an industrial zone. “We have decided to dedicate a block in the new building of the Chakwal Chamber in the name of Qazi Muhammad Akbar so that his services may always be remembered,” he announced.
Addressing the gathering, Qazi Akbar’s son, Qazi Muhammad Usman, expressed gratitude to Khurram Abbasi (Khurram Tony), Zafar Bakhtawari, and all the guests who remembered his father’s services. “It is an honor for me that my father’s sincere companions still stand with us in his remembrance. My father earned respect, and we are determined to continue his mission,” he said.
He requested Zafar Bakhtawari to continue his patronage of the Chakwal Chamber as he did during his father’s lifetime. “The chamber needs sincere and selfless people like him, and we will keep following my father’s footsteps,” he added.
Former President of the Chakwal Chamber, Haji Nazir Sultan, said that the late Qazi Akbar will always be remembered for connecting Chakwal’s business community with the chamber.
The condolence reference was also attended by President of Chakwal Chamber Aamir Najeeb Bhutta, Shehzad Saadat, Khurram Kamran, Haji Murtaza, Malik Hafeez Anjum, Sufi Mushtaq, and others.
In the end, special prayers were offered for the elevation of the departed soul and for the continuation of his mission.
