Afghanistan, a country that has seen a lot over the years. From extreme disregard and ignorance from the world to not giving it a second chance. The nation has been through it all. Labeling an entire nation on behalf of the mistakes made by an extremist group is unfair to its citizens and government. While the entire media industry portrayed its negative image to the world, its patriots tried their level best to improve Afghanistan’s reputation in the world and bring it back to its glory. One of these passionate people was Abdul Hakim Dalili, a former Afghan ambassador who spent his life negotiating peace. He was a source of inspiration for the youth of Afghanistan as he made efforts to create peaceful relations with other countries. His aim was to restore Afghanistan’s esteemed position in the world and put a stop to the negative rumors and news about the country. Unfortunately, his mission could not be successful as the passionate gentleman’s soul departed from the world in December 2020 in Doha due to cardiac arrest.

In today’s age and time, there are very few who think more than their interests, and Dalili was one of them. He was born in 1972, an era that was detrimental to the country. Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union and experienced extreme political and civil unrest. Dalili, at the tender age of seven, saw terrible sights of deaths and people being taken away from their families. In order to survive, he left with his family and migrated to Pakistan, where they settled in Peshawar. The young man completed his primary education from Pakistan and moved to Qatar to attend college. He was a scholarship student and earned a governmental scholarship in the 1980s. Due to this achievement, he secured a position at Qatar University to study civil engineering. He graduated with honors in 1997 and was appointed as a teacher’s assistant in the same university. He taught there for seven years, after which he returned back to Afghanistan.

Abdul Hakim Dalili returned to his nation with a spirit to improve the image of his country and portray its positive aspects to the world. He presented his interest in politics and was offered several times to participate in the parties. He was even offered to become the Afghan ambassador in Kuwait, but he chose Qatar instead.

After being selected as the Ambassador for Afghanistan in Qatar, Dalili initiated several peace talks and made efforts to bring peace back to Afghanistan. The dynamic personality had immense love and respect for his country and left no stone unturned for its betterment. Due to his efforts, the Qatar embassy was the third Arab country to have its presence in Afghanistan. Dalili was a man of his words and was known for his commitment towards his nation. Even though every individual he met had a negative perception of Afghanistan, he treated them with the utmost respect and tried his best to change their thoughts and views with his actions and words. In addition to improving the image of the country, Abdul Hakim Daliliworked to improve the living standards of this country. In an interview, he said that “We can explore and utilize our resources and manpower in a better way for more development of the country. War destroyed the resources, and for sure, it affected Afghan people and slowed the development pace. War is a hindrance in the way of development, and there are many negative impacts of the war on the country.” This indicates that the intellectual personality realized the problems his countrymen were facing was seeking different ways to change them. Abdul Hakim Dalili had a ton of plans for Afghanistan, which, if he had a chance to execute, would surely change the world’s perspective about his motherland.

Dalili’s funeral comprised of ambassadors and representatives from different countries. His sudden death was a big loss for Afghanistan. The High Council for National Reconciliation’sspokesperson Faraidoon Khwazoon said Dalili worked hard to make the Afghan peace process a success. His body was paid tribute by The President of Afghanistan, who said, “We have lost our patriotic personality, which was an honor for all of us. I wish him paradise. His knowledge of Islamic teachings and culture and the country of Qatar was unique and therefore had a positive impact on bilateral relations.”