A number of speakers came in one by one eulogizing the services rendered to the Pakistani community by the departing officer. Tariq Ayub – Senior Vice President of IKPC – said Gilani was born in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir in 1962. He accomplished his basic education in his native place and later accomplished a degree in Islamic Studies from Um Al-Qura University in Makkah. He also pursued higher studies from the Punjab University. He added that Gilani belonged to an educated family and all of his brothers were well-placed in government jobs including his elder brother who retired recently as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Azad Kashmir.

Senior Vice President Khalil Ur Rehman speaking on the occasion stated that Gilani was a very popular officer amongst the Pakistani expatriates because of the fact that he was ever ready to serve the community. He also recited from some poetry lines in praise of the officer.

Dr Riaz Javed Khawaja was next to speak. Dr. Khawaja is a noted personality in Riyadh who is also the founder of Pakistani Doctors’ Group of which he has remained General Secretary since it was founded by him. He is also one of the founders of Pakistan Culture Group – an elite association of the noted Pakistanis in Riyadh. In his very brief yet very comprehensive speech he lauded the services of Gilani and commented that he would be remembered long after he was gone from Riyadh.

For a change Rana Khadim Hussain – an activist of PML-N in Riyadh and also a noted poet – was invited to present some of his poetry works to entertain the audience. Responding to an explicit request from Dr. Niaz Kazim, Rana recited from his famous Punjabi poetry work entitled, “Ya Rub Wazan Ghata De”. In a smart and eloquent delivery, Rana was able to stir the audience who appreciated and applauded him with comments and loud clapping.

Haji Ehsan Danish in his speech mentioned that only three years ago a welcome party was thrown in Gilani’s honor by the same organization in a similar setting across the road and now it was time for farewell to the same person. He added that time flies but also leaves lots of memories behind and that Gilani would always be remembered by the people of Riyadh in good words.

Abdul Karim Khan – Senior Vice President of PPP-KSA – speaking on the occasion expressed his deep found admirations for Gilani as a good and hard working officer who worked day in day out in the service of the Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arabia. He also added that today the entire city had gathered to say good bye to an officer who they loved and liked so much. He especially mentioned that at one time Gilani had a serious foot injury. However despite his injury he continued to perform his duties even much late at night.

Waseem Sajid – Vice President IKPC – speaking on the occasion mentioned that Gilani was an extra ordinary officer because he always performed beyond what was due of him. The Guest-of-Honor of the evening – Syed Zahoor Hassan Gilani – speaking on the occasion, first of all thanked Sardar Razzak – President of IKPC – for arranging this generous Farewell party in his honor. He commented that it was a universal rule that what begins has to see an end. He said that his conscience was clear and he was happy that he tried to serve the community to the best of his capacity and capability. He also commented that he was very happy and satisfied to have found that the Pakistani community lived here in complete harmony. He went on to quote from his encounter with a Saudi Police Officer in Hufuf who, in his words, was in high praise for the Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia. Accordingly to Gilani the said Police Officer was stated to have said that whenever he saw Pakistanis in Shalwar Kameez, he thought he was meeting with his real brother. He further added that one should strive to serve others, in whatever capacity he or she could, as nothing else pleased Allah more.

Finally it was turn of Sardar Muhamad Razzak – the host and the President of International Kashmir Press Club-Riyadh to take to the podium. He paid rich tributes to Syed Zahoor Hassan Gilani for serving the Pakistani community especially families and the next of kith-n-kith of the dead Pakistani workers by helping to transport the dead bodies back to their native places. According to him Gilani was known for his open door policies and commented that he admired his patience and diligence. “At times many Pakistani workers, who are mostly illiterate, lose their cool and expressed their out bursts at him. However, he was such a noble person that he would never lose his own cool and listen to them very patiently and tried to serve them best”, he added. He also commented that Gilani has left many of us saddened but we all wish him well.

He also welcomed the incoming new officer – Capt. Syed Hamad Abid - who was going to replace Gilani. Capt Hamad was an officer from the Police Services and has served as the Superintendent of Police before. Sardar Razzak thanked all for finding time to attend this Farewell and thereby grace the occasion. He in fact thanked most of the attendees by reading out their names one by one which took him more than 10 minutes to do that. During the program, two shields/mementos were also presented to Gilani in recognition of his extra ordinary services to the community; one by Altaf Khan Khalil and the other by Haji Ehsan Danish.

The program concluded with sumptuous dinner consisting of mouth-smacking desi gourmet culinary cuisine.