Nepal : Pakistan Embassy in Nepal hosted Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani — former Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister of Pakistan — during his visit on Wednesday. Widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s most distinguished diplomats, Ambassador Jilani was warmly welcomed, with officials noting that his deep strategic understanding of global and regional affairs continues to be a source of guidance and pride for the Foreign Service of Pakistan.
During the meeting, discussions focused on cultural diplomacy, adventure tourism, disaster management, climate change cooperation, and the important roles played by ICIMOD and SAARC in fostering regional collaboration.
A particularly emotional moment of the visit was Ambassador Jilani’s meeting with renowned Nepali actor Rajesh Hamal. The interaction highlighted longstanding people-to-people ties between Pakistan and Nepal. Mr. Hamal’s late father, Chuda Bahadur Hamal, briefly served as Nepal’s ambassador to Pakistan in 1992. Shortly after presenting his credentials — a ceremony facilitated by Ambassador Jilani in his then role as Deputy Chief of Protocol — the senior Hamal tragically passed away due to a heart attack.
In a gesture reflecting deep human compassion and respect, Ambassador Jilani personally rushed him to the hospital and later oversaw the repatriation of his remains to Kathmandu with full state honours, including a gun salute, aboard a Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft.
This touching episode is a reminder that diplomacy is ultimately about human connections, compassion, and shared respect between people and States. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad
