This condolence book is dedicated to Mr. Shuja ur Rehman, Head of Sarhad Program – IUCN Pakistan. He started his career with IUCN as Manager, Chitral Conservation Strategy in 1996 and moved to the position of Head of Sarhad Program, based in the Peshawar Office.

He breathed his last in CMH Lahore fighting against a terminal illness on July 14th, 2008 leaving behind a widow, one daughter and three sons.

Mr. Shuja was a man of principles, totally committed to his work and a manager who looked after his team and guided them towards professional excellence. As a human being, he was kind hearted, quiet and thoughtful with a remarkable sense of humour.

He will be remembered for his dedication, integrity and strong belief in human values. All of us at IUCN Pakistan will miss him.

We share the deep sense of loss with his family and pray that his soul rest in peace. Ameen. 

Following are the condolence messages by colleagues and friends.
 

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Ms. Julia Marton-Lefèvre Director General, IUCN

It is with great sadness that we learned yesterday of the passing away of Shuja ur Rehman, Head of the IUCN Pakistan Sarhad Office.  I know that Shuja has been battling with his illness for many months and that in spite of this, he continued his work with the dedication he had shown IUCN for the past 12 years. 

Please accept our deepest condolences and send our regards and sincere sympathies to Shuja’s family.

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Ms. Nikhat Sattar, Country Group Head IUCN (Nepal and Pakistan)

With deep sorrow this is to inform you that Shuja ur Rehman, Head, Sarhad Office, IUCN Pakistan expired last night after a short and intensive fight with a terminal illness which was diagnosed ten months ago. He had continued working with the same dedication and commitment has had shown to IUCN over the past 12 years, until the very last.

We share the deep sense of loss with his family and pray for the departed soul. Shuja leaves behind a wife, three sons and one daughter.

Shuja was a thorough professional, starting his career with IUCN as Manager, Chitral Conservation Strategy in 1996 and moving on to various positions, based in the Peshawar Office and looking after the IUCN programme there. It was during his tenure that IUCN did pioneering work, first on the implementation of the Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy and then the development of the Chitral, Abbotabad and DI Khan Strategies. One of his major achievements was the initiation and development of the Sustainable Development Plan for FATA ( Federally Administered Tribal Areas ) of Pakistan and subsequent follow up projects. Indeed, it was while he was ill and had to go for prolonged treatment that he led a team of experts to develop and finalise an implementation programme for FATA.

For those of us who knew him, Shuja was a man of principles, totally committed to his work and a manager who looked after his team and guided them towards professional excellence. As a human being, he was kind hearted, quiet and thoughtful but with a sense of humour which sometime surprised and delighted his friends. He will be remembered for his integrity and his strong belief in human values.

We will all miss him deeply. He leaves a vacuum which will not be filled easily. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.
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Mr. Mohammad Rafiq Khan, Head Business and Biodiversity, IUCN Gland

Dear Friends,

How sad! Nothing could prevent the ultimate but in true gallantry spirit he fought the battle for life bravely and till the end. In Shuja we have not only lost a friend of friends but an outstanding human being who touched so many lives. Humility in a royalty is a seldom find but Shuja had it in abundance.  We will miss his manners and decor, his ability to relate to people of all ages, shades and backgrounds, and his commitment to promote civic sense and peaceful society. 

I have very fond memories of Shuja taking up the responsibility for Chitral Conservation Strategy and making it into a movement of the people of the land that raised him and to which he is ultimately returning tomorrow; where he will rest in eternal peace; and which will proudly hold the proud son of the soil for ever.  From Chitral to all corners of the Frontier; Shuja left his mark on environmental arena of the province ably representing IUCN as its provincial head until he breathed last.

My thoughts are with him, his family and his friends that you all represent in this moment of grief and sorrow.  May Allah bless his soul and give his family the strength and fortitude to bear this loss.  We mourn his death. We must also celebrate his immense human qualities, his deeds of camaraderie and friendship and his accomplishments.   This will be our best tribute to him. We will miss Shuja surely and sorely.

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Dr. TP Singh Head ELG 1 IUCN Regional Office

Very sorry to hear about the passing away of our dear colleague Shuja ur Rehman. ELG1, India and Indonesia staff joins me in conveying our heartfelt condolences and we pray to the Almighty to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this loss.

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Mr. Narayan Belbase, Country Representative IUCN Nepal Office

Dear All,

 

We at IUCN Nepal are deeply moved at the sudden and untimely demise of our dear colleague Shuja ur Rehman. At this hour of grief, we express our heartfelt condolence and pray to the Almighty to give courage and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

 

May Shuja's soul rest in peace !

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Mr. Sohail Maqbool Malik, Ex Country Representative, IUCN Pakistan

Dear all,
 
I have just got connected with the net and have come across the most unfortunate news.
 
I cant believe that Shuja is no more amongst us as I had a long conversation with him before leaving. He sounded as usual very normal and in high spirits. Shuja was a phenomenal person in all respects. He was an excellent colleague and, a gracious host and a well meaning friend. I have known Shuja since last two decades and now cherish one of the most memorable moments we spent together last summer while visiting Chitral/Shandur.
 
Shuja's contribution to IUCN again were both innumerable and invaluable. It is an irreparable loss for IUCN in Pakistan.
 
I will personally miss very dearly my friend Shuja and can only pray to Almighty that he is accorded the best place in Jannah, Amen.
 
This is a reminder to all of us that very soon our time will also be up and we should be making the best of it now and not delay it for later.
 
Please do take good care of yourself and your dear and near ones.
 
Best, Sohail

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Dr. Vu Van Trieu, Country Representative IUCN Viet Nam

Dear All,

IUCN Viet Nam regrets to know about this sorrow and would like to share the deep loss with Mr. Shuja’s family, as well as with IUCN Pakistan.

May we all join in praying for his departed soul.

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Mr. Altaf Hussain, HR Unit, IUCN Pakistan

I am deeply heart and grieved on the sad passing away of our beloved leader Shuja ur Rehman. MAY ALLHA REST HIS SOUL IN PEACE IN JANNATUL FIRDOUS. He was a true leader and I had no difficulty in talking to him, writing to him or asking anything from him. He always respected me and responded with due softness and friendly manner. With my many years of service with IUCNP I met him many times in Karachi and a couple of times in Peshawar and I found him a very welcoming, joyful person, smiling all the time and dedicated to his work and commitment.

I know he was very closed to all of you and to me in Karachi also think that some irreparable thing is lost. Let us all pray for his departed soul in peace (Ameen).

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Mr. Hamid Sarfraz, Head Programme Coordination, IUCN Pakistan

Dear Friends,

Our dear friend, Mir Shuja ur Rehman, took his last breath yesterday evening in Lahore. Pls prey for his soul to be rest in peace and may Allah bless him with kindness and graciousness. Ameen!
 

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Mr. Haider Raza, IUCNP Gilgit Office

Please convey condolences to his family on behalf of IUCN NA programme. No doubt this is our collective loss… I feel extremely sad and helpless. In my seven years of association with Shuja, I was always impressed with his cheerful attitude, caring and bold nature. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace! Amen
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Mr. Ghulam Amin Beg, Programme Manager Policy Dialogue and Partnerships/ Knowledge Management AKRSP

This was shocking news, when I first heard of it from Jamy sb.

I had the chance to work with him for almost 2.5 years.  His generosity, hard work, openness and patience always inspired me during my work with him.

He had a heart of a prince, and pride of a king, and a soul of simple mountain dweller.

May God rest his soul in peace and give strength to his family to pass the days of mourning.
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Shujaur Rehman-An upright Prince

By Dr. Inayatullah Faizi, Ex Manager IUCNP Chitral Office:

Way back in the eighties, of 20th century, I watched a movie “Last of the Mahakans”. Today I am looking at the grave of Prince Shujaur Rehman and I think he was in his own way and right “Last of the Katoors” of Central Asia and Chitral. At the age of 5, he went to Aitcheson College Lahore for his studies and as luck would have it, at the age of 55, he breathed his last at the intensive case unit of the Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Papers wrote, he was son of the 2nd last ruler of Chitral and brother of the last ruler of Chitral. Papers wrote that his grand father took a lead among the princedoms of the Indian subcontinent to accede to Pakistan in May 1947. But papers failed to write that he was an upright man. He was a man with strong will power, and a man with Iron hand and kind soul. This is a rare combination and leaders who combine these two qualities perform extra-ordinarily and do miracles.

Shuja-ur-Rehman neither liked the prefix “Shahzada” with his name, nor he liked the suffix “Prince”, however he was proud of his ancestral legacy and he was committed to the collective cause of his family. This is again a combination of two qualities which ensures broader outlook and unbiased approach towards day to day matters of mortal life.

Shuja-ur-Rehman was born in Chitral in 1953. His father HH Saifur Rehman was ruler of Chitral since 1949. His grand father ruled Chitral during the crucial period of the partition of India. His name was HH Muzaffarual Mulk and he took timely decision to accede to Pakistan and communicated his consent to the Government of India through secretary home Col. SB Shah on May 5th 1947. He signed the accession document along with founder of nation Qauide-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Nov 7, 1947. He joined the citizens of Peshawar in hosting a reception in honour of the father of nation at Jinnah Park in April 1948 and accompanied Qauid-e-Azam on his historic visit to Torkham border post in Khyber. Shujar-r-Rehman’s grand- grandfather Shujaul Mulk ruled Chitral for 41 year (1895-1936). His family rule extends to 374 years, 300 years (1595-1895) as independent state, 52 year (1895-1947) as British protectorate and 22 years (1947-1969) after accession of the state to Pakistan. His father HH Saifur Rehman died in an air crash near Lawari in Dir in 1954, when Shuja was hardly one year old. His elder brother HH Saiful Muluk Nasir was coronated at the age of 4. Shuja followed his elder brother to be admitted in Aitcheson College Lahore at the age of 5 in 1958. Hostel life at such an early age was a unique and interesting experience for the young princes. Recalling his hostel days he used to say that hostel life at such an early stage leads to sense of insecurity in the personality of an individual, which could be overcame through strong will power. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Provincial Minister Pervez Khattak and Development Consultant Khalid Saranjam Khan were among his friends of the good Aitchesonain days. Shuja attended 52 long course at PMA Kakool from 1974 to 1976 and was commissioned in Pakistan Army. Due to his domestic obligations and temperament, he resigned from the army in 1980. He was elected to the Town Committee of Chitral in local bodies elections in 1983 and served his constituency till 1987. He along with like-minded friends and social workers, established Society for Sustainable Mountain Development in 1994.He joined International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as District Manager for Chitral in 1997. He held public consultation meetings throughout the district for the formulation of Chitral District Conservation Strategy, Which was adopted by the District Government of Chitral as integrated Development Vision in 2003. Shuja was elevated to the post Manager Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPSC) in 1999 and took over as Head IUCN, Sarhad Office in 2004. He was suffering from lever serosis since September 2007. However, he did not give up his hope and courage. He used to perform normal duties in his office till July 7, 2008 when he proceeded to Lahore for routine check up and suffered from the failure of vital organs at CMH Lahore on the 9th of July, and went in to coma. He passed away on 14th July 2008 at CMH Lahore and was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Chitral on 15th July 2008. When I recall the life and struggle of Shuja ur Rehman, it reminds me of the famous poem of Shakespeare which says the world is a stage and we are all actors, who act according to a well thought script from early child hood to young age, to man hood and from manhood to the old age.

 Shuja’s part ended at manhood and he was shown exit before old age. No doubt it was part of script, however his vacuum at the stage will be felt till long long days and years to come. Katoor’s are there, but I believe he was  “Last of the Katoors” in his own right and place.

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Mr. Mohammad Mujib Khan, Ex Head IUCNP Sarhad Office

Inna lillahe wainna ilaihe rajeoon. May Allah rest his soul in peace and give courage and fortitude to his family. Shuja ur Rehman' parting of ways is a huge loss. And I can imagine the grief that you all, who have served with him for so long, must have felt.

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Hameed Hasan, Ex Coordinator Governance IUCNP Sarhad Office
 
"Inna Lillah e Wa Innah Elaihe Rajeoon"  we have lost a great and cheerful person and I do not have words to express my feelings for such a tragedy. We can only prey from God Mighty Allah that He Grant him Mughferat and place his soul in His Jawar e Rehmat.

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Mr. Tahir Azim, DG, M&E P&D Department, Civil Secretariat Peshawar

The heart breaking news of the said demise of Shuja Ur Rehman has been received. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Alahi Rajiune. I dont find words to describe the loss due to untimely death of SR. May God keep his soul in eternal peace and give us the strength to bear this irreparable loss. May I request you to offer my sincere condolence with all friends and members of his family.

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Mr. Abdul Latif Rao, Ex CR IUCN Pakistan

Inna lillahe wa inna ilaihe rajeoon.

I have lost a dear colleague and a friend with the demise of Shuja. May God Almighty bless his soul and keep him in eternal peace, and provide strength to his family and friends to bear this colossal loss.

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Dr. Muhammad Zulfiqar, Director Finance, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat

It is really a very heartrending news. We have very pleasant memories of association with Mr. Sujah. I can still feel his always smiling face and a unique emblem at get together.  We have lost a friend with enormous qualities. Almighty Allah may Bless his Soul. My sincere sympathy is with his family and friends and pray for them to get strength to bear their great loss.

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Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Deputy Secretary P&D Civil Secretariat FATA

One can't find words to express one's feeling for losing such a great friend....WE ALL WILL MISS YOU - Shuja........May his soul rest in peace....

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Mr. Kazim Shah District Manager IUCNP DI Khan Office

These are really very sad moments for me to know this, although it’s a fact which we have to face any time. but for some persons we pray for longer life due to his/her personal qualities. Mr. Shuja was one of them, who was my immidiate boss but never showed like that but like sincere an elder brother who always guided me.

We prey that may his soule rest in peace and give such strength to his family to face this fact,

Mr. Shuja we miss you.

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Mrs. Salma Masud Khan, Consultant Education Sector FATA SDP Projectization/ Prioritization Process Project

It is hard to believe that Shuja Sahib is no more amongst us!

Such an irreparable loss! May Allah rest his soul in peace and grant courage to the grieved personal and professional family to bear this loss. We have lost a highly capable, very hardworking, a true professional and a thorough gentleman! I spoke to him one day before he went into coma, even at that time he was full of hope and very optimistic, hence it is all the more difficult to believe that such a strong person surrendered so quickly!

May Allah's special blessings be with him and May Allah almighty grant fortitude to his wife, children and other family members
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Mr. Zafar Hasan, Secretary P&D Department, Civil Secretariat FATA

Shuja remained a fighter to the end. May God grant him place in Jannat al Firdous and strength to his family to bear the irreparable loss.

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Mr. Shabir Hussain, Team Leader, Livelihood Programme

In Shuja-ur Rehman we all lost an excellent, cheerful, supportive and ever helping friend, a committed professional and a dedicated conservationist. I feel extremely sad and helpless on his sad and untimely demise. Inna lillahe wainna ilaihe rajeoon. Please join me in prayers that Allah may bless his soul with eternal peace and give us all strength to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen!.

Please convey my heartfelt condolences to his family in this time of extreme distress. May Allah provide them fortitude to bear this immense loss. Ameen!

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Mr. Rizwan Ahmed, Deputy Director (P&D), NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar – Pakistan

It becomes unbelievable that SR is no more with us. I worked with him for a long time and always found him very encouraging and helpful in making the things happen. May Allah Almighty rest his soul in peace and give courage to his family to bear this irrepairable loss.

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Mr. Khalid Khan Director Directorate of Science & Technology NWFP, Peshawar

He was an admirable companion and a committed professional. The damage is irreparable. May his soul rest in peace. May Allah give his family the strength in these testing times. Please forgive me but I have no words to describe his death. Let us all keep on praying for the departed soul.

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Mr. Aziz Ali, AKF, Badakhshan Afghanistan

It is really shocking to read the heart breaking news of the sad demise of Shahzada Shuja ur Rehman, Head, IUCN Pakistan, Sarhad Office. I have had opportunity to closely work with him for the cause of Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development in NWFP, particularly in District Chitral for quite long time. He was very keen, committed, dedicated Manager with a lot of innovative ideas for development. He had a deep love and emotional attachment with Chitral and its people which he used to regard very highly. His continued efforts and tremendous contributions for the development of Chitral shall always be valued and remembered forever.

Please accept my deepest sorrow and condolences in this difficult period of time. May almighty Allah rest the departed soul in eternal peace and give strength and fortitude to you all to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen.

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Ms. Arjumand Nizami, Programme Coordinator Pakistan, Intercooperation Pakistan

This is our collective loss… I feel extremely sad and helpless. In my brief association with Shuja for seven years, I was always impressed with his optimism and a cheerful attitude.  Please convey our heartfelt condolences to his family… I know this will not reduce the sense of loss they have but important for them to know that Shuja had several well wishers who had been praying for him. We offered Fateha at Intercooperation, while Khalid Hussain is on his way to attend his funeral. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace! Amen.

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Ms. Dhunmai Cowasjee, Ex-Head Programme Coordination IUCNP

I am really really sorry to hear this news. Please offer his family my deepest condolences. Shuja was a wonderful man with a deep heart and a love of life. When I last spoke to him, he was full of confidence that he could beat the beast.
 
I will think of the good times we had together.

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Mr. Gul Najam Jamy, Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan)

It is a great loss for all of us. I worked with Shuja for many years and was associated with him even after I left IUCN in 2006. I will never forget his cheerful face and the open and frank manner in which he communicated. I pray to God to bless the departed soul and give courage to his family and friends to bear this immense loss.

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Mr. Abdul Haye, Manager Human Resources and Admin, Family Health International, Pakistan Country Office

Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of the Prince with whom I had two folds association primary: a colleague in arms and subsequently IUCN. I pray that Almighty Allah grants the bereaved family, strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. May Allah rest the departed soul in eternal peace and shower unlimited mercies on the deceased (Amen).

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Mr. Atif Masud, USAID Peshawar

Inna lillahe wainna ilaihe rajeoon. May Allah bless his soul and he rest in peace.

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Mr. Pius Rohner, Country Director SDC Pakistan

It is indeed very sad to know about the demise of Shuja ur Rehman. SDC had a long association with Shuja starting with the development of the Chitral Conservation Strategy; and it continued to flourish during next phases of SPCS and later on during PSNP time. IUCNP has lost a great manager in Shuja.

On behalf of the Swiss Cooperation Office Pakistan and on my own behalf, please accept our heart-felt condolences. Please also share our condolences with the bereaved family and IUCN Sarhad Office. May God rest the departed soul in eternal peace.

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Mr. Ahmad Sher, M&E Officer, UNDP Muzaffarabad - AJK

I checked my email after a bit time and shocked to know about this great loss. I am deeply grieved on this sad demise and pray to God for Shuja Sb's good Akharat. Allah Almighty may grant courage to his family members to face this loss with Sabar. Aameen!!!

I must say the man had really contributed to save this planet and Allah will give him Reward for this noble work.

Please convey my condolences to his family members.

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Mr. Janaka Kumarasinghe, Ex HR Director, IUCN Pakistan

I am very sad to hear about the passing away of  Shuja Ur Rehaman after a terminal illness.
Prince Shuja was a good manager,colleague and a friend . I came to know about his illness bit earlier ,but was reluctant to write not know the feelings of the person. But now I feel bad as I could not communicate with him before his death.
 
Also I specially remember Shuja, as prior to our departure from Pakistan I and my family visited Chitral. Though we could not meet him, we even received our final gifts from his brother in-law in Chithral.
 
Please share the condolence of my family with his family and colleagues.
May the departed soul rest in peace.
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Mr. Suresh Umrathia

I am deeply grieved to learn about the sad demise of Mr. Shuja ur Rehman. With profound sorrow, I offer my heartfelt condolence and deepest sympathy on this very sad occasion and pray to the Almighty Allah to give his family courage and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
 
May Allah grant eternal peace to his departed soul, Amen.
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Shuja shall stay alive in our hearts  by Mr. Saleemullah Khan, UNDP

My association with Shuja is over ten years and I saw him in various capacities: as colleague, boss, representative of a partner organization, a dependable friend and most importantly an impressive human being. In all these capacities I saw him very effective.
He had great respect for all these relations and that is why he is deeply loved and respected.

As development worker I found him a vibrant leader, influencing us all subtly and thus carrying us along as a solid mass. As friend, we found him dependable with sincere and balance source of guidance. As human being the striking feature of his personality was his positive bent of mind.

We always found him courageous that we saw more vividly during his ailment – extremely horrifying in nature – that worn out his body but couldn’t bow his courage and spirit at all. The clear lesson, Shuja bestow us with, is let’s stay courageous and positive in both our thoughts and actions. Shuja always talked of road maps and while he is no more with us, his personality provides us with clear road map for all of us generally and for Aman (honored to be Shuja’s elder son) in particular.
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Mr. Mohammad Arshad Gill, National Programme Officer, SDC Pakistan

Having just returned from holidays I was confronted with the extremely
sad news of Shuja Sahib passing away. I had talked to him just before I
left in June, and as always he had bravely said he was recovering from
his illness. Having worked very closely with him in PSNP, I had known
him as an excellent, committed professional and a very dear friend as
well.

I will miss him, and pray may Allah taalah rest his soul in peace, and
give all of us the courage to bear this loss. Ameen.
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Mr. Mujib Sadozai, Senior Governance and Financial Management Specialist, Asian Development Bank, Islamabad, Pakistan

I had the honor to serve alongside Shuja Ur Rehman, in my capacity as head of IUCN Sarhad Office from May 2001 to July 2003. 

I found Shuja to be a person of immense character, compassion, sense of proportion, and great managerial skills; and above all he was a great family man too.

His untimely departure is an irreparable loss for his family and a great loss for his friends, IUCN and the conservation community.

I pray that his is blessed with Allah's mercy. Amen.

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Mr. Saadullah Ayaz, Head/ Project Manager.Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Cell, Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan

While surfing the IUCN Website, I saw the shocking news about the sad demise of a great man. I had an honor to serve him for a short while with IUCN, at that time Mr. Shuja was the Manager of SPCS Support Unit.

I sadly remind off those moments when I had frequent interaction with SR. I found him an extremely soft spoken and a very committed professional. I remember his always smiling face and affection. These are really sad moments for me, which cannot be described in words.

While paying a tribute to the great man, I send condolences to his family, friends all  the well wishers in time of extreme distress. May Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and give strength and fortitude to you all to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen.

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