Aneel Saeed: A Bright Reference of Knowledge, Service and Character

Aneel Saeed: A Bright Reference of Knowledge, Service and Character

Attock, the last district in northwestern Punjab, lies at a historic crossroads where the River Indus has, for centuries, served as a natural boundary between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The history of Attock stretches back through the ages, and the region is home to priceless treasures of history and heritage. It was constituted as a separate district in 1904. In its early years, the journey of development moved forward with remarkable speed, but after 1947, progress witnessed alternating phases of momentum and stagnation.

In 2023, however, Attock experienced a remarkable acceleration in its development under the leadership of Mr. Rao Atif Raza, who served as Deputy Commissioner. Yet no administrator, however capable, can achieve ambitious goals without a competent, dedicated and hardworking team. Rao Atif Raza was therefore fortunate to have around him a group of officers who were distinguished by their ability, integrity and commitment. Among these valuable personalities was Aneel Saeed.

First Rao Atif Raza was transferred, and now Mr. Aneel Saeed too has moved on, having been transferred to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Islamabad. Transfers are an inevitable part of an officer’s professional life, but there are some individuals whose work, manners and character become so deeply etched in the hearts of the people they serve that their departure leaves behind a genuine sense of loss. Aneel Saeed is certainly one of those people.

I am putting down these lines as a humble expression of affection and appreciation for his life journey and his many achievements. I am fully conscious of my own limitations, yet I also believe that writings such as these, preserved over time, can become valuable sources for those who one day seek to record the history of an era.

A Childhood Rooted in Learning

Aneel Saeed was born on 5 August 1985 at his parents’ home. He is the fourth among six brothers and two sisters. His father, Mr. Saeed Ahmad, served in the Punjab Forest Department and retired as a Divisional Forest Officer.

Although Aneel Saeed was born in Multan, his ancestral village is Chak 347 G.B., in Tehsil and District Toba Tek Singh. It is important to mention here that his grandfather, Babu Azizuddin, migrated to Pakistan from Ludhiana district in India at the time of Partition, and was allotted land in this area.

Because his father was posted in different cities during his service, Aneel’s education was completed in several places, including Jhang, Khushab and Faisalabad. He completed his Intermediate education in Multan, securing first position in the Board examination and earning a Gold Medal. He subsequently obtained an MBA in Finance from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, again graduating with a Gold Medal.

During his university years, he was deeply influenced by one of his teachers, Professor A. B. Khan. Aneel’s intellectual ability, academic excellence and exceptional intelligence made him a favourite among his teachers. Such was the impression created by his academic brilliance that, at the remarkably young age of twenty-one, he was appointed as a lecturer at the same university in 2008.

His educational journey had been outstanding from the very beginning, and behind that success stood the effort, guidance and upbringing provided by his parents. His love of books and literature was also rooted in his family environment. Whenever he achieved something significant, his parents would reward him with a book rather than a material gift.

His father is a devoted admirer and spiritual follower of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and possesses complete command of the Persian language. It was through this intellectual atmosphere that Aneel developed an extraordinary familiarity with Iqbal’s poetry; even today, he can recite the poet’s complete works from memory. He also encountered the writings of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi and Sheikh Saadi at a very young age.

His love of books naturally nurtured his abilities as an orator. Throughout his academic years, he remained an accomplished speaker. During his posting in Attock, I had the privilege of listening to him speak extempore on a wide range of subjects, and his spontaneous discourse was invariably eloquent, scholarly and intellectually stimulating.

A Family of Achievement

Aneel Saeed belongs to a highly educated family. His uncle, Mian Abdul Qayyum, was also a CSS officer, while his brothers have attained distinguished positions in their respective fields. His elder brother, Suhail Saeed, serves as Director of Water Resources, while his younger brother, Tanzil Saeed, is an Advocate of the High Court in Islamabad.

Aneel attributes the success of himself and his siblings primarily to their father. According to him, he studied mathematics, English and other subjects directly from his father, and throughout his academic career he never attended a private tuition centre or academy.

The Making of a Civil Servant

An incident at Bahauddin Zakariya University left a deep and lasting impression on Aneel’s mind. Thereafter, he began preparing for the CSS examination with renewed determination, together with his brother.

His perseverance produced remarkable results. In 2011, he appeared in the competitive examination and secured 189th position. Yet he was not satisfied. He appeared once again in 2013 and this time secured the 54th position.

On the basis of merit, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of a Cantonment Board. In 2015, he served as CEO Cantonment Board Sanjwal, while simultaneously holding additional charge of Cantonment Board Attock.

During his brief tenure there, lasting approximately five months, he oversaw a remarkable amount of development work. Sewerage lines were completed, parks were developed, and the Officers’ Colony was brought to completion.

His performance attracted the attention of DG ML&C, General Najam-ul-Hassan Bukhari, who was deeply impressed by his work and brought him into his own team in Rawalpindi.

In Rawalpindi, Aneel once again distinguished himself through his dedication and efficiency. He was subsequently entrusted with the responsibilities of CEO Gwadar and Ormara. There, he handled military land requisition and development matters with extraordinary diligence, commitment and perseverance.

He also oversaw the establishment of women’s handicraft schools, the construction of rest houses, parks and various other development projects.

The Pursuit of Excellence

One of the defining qualities of Aneel Saeed’s personality is that his desire to move forward and achieve more has never diminished.

In 2017, he once again decided to sit for the CSS examination. This time, he secured the sixth position across Punjab. In 2019, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner Islamabad.

For a period, he held charge of eleven police stations, including the Red Zone area. During this tenure, he supervised the completion of the Bhara Kahu Bypass, Rawal Chowk road and metro-related development works.

In recognition of his services, he was awarded a certificate of appreciation along with a cash prize of fifty thousand rupees. His services were subsequently placed at the disposal of the Government of Punjab.

From December 2023 to April 2024, he served as Personal Secretary to the Additional Chief Secretary Punjab.

A New Chapter in Attock

Then, in April 2024, Attock’s fortunes took another turn. Following his promotion, Aneel Saeed was posted to Attock as Additional Deputy Commissioner General.

There he found, in the person of Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza, an administrator who knew how to recognize talent, polish it and make the fullest use of it. Rao Atif Raza brought out the best in Aneel’s natural abilities, and together they became an important part of Attock’s accelerated development journey.

As Additional Deputy Commissioner General, Aneel Saeed also held the charge of Administrator, Municipal Committee Attock. At one stage, he was simultaneously responsible for Municipal Services, Social Services and Revenue.

He supervised the development projects underway in Attock with exceptional care and efficiency. When the Suthra Punjab Authority was established, he was also entrusted with the responsibility of Managing Director for the district.

The workload was immense. I often found him working late into the night in his office. Yet despite the pressure and long hours, he continued to meet everyone with a smile and speak to people with warmth and courtesy.

Perhaps even more admirable was his commitment to merit. He believed in treating people without discrimination and ensuring that matters were handled on their merits.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Aneel Saeed is a patriotic Pakistani, a man of refined taste and elegant dress, and a person devoted to his prayers and religious obligations.

He also served as District Monitoring Officer. His contribution to the establishment of the Academy of Letters, Campbellpur Attock, was particularly significant.

He played a central role in events organized under the Academy, including International Mother Language Day, Punjab Culture Day, the annual book fair and numerous other literary and cultural programmes.

A Cultural and Developmental Legacy

The flower exhibition and food gala held in Attock for the first time in the city’s history were organized under the initiative of Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza. The people of Attock responded to these events with extraordinary enthusiasm and appreciation.

Yet the credit for their successful execution belongs in considerable measure to Aneel Saeed and Mr. Muhammad Arif Qureshi, whose efforts helped transform these initiatives into memorable public events.

These achievements demonstrate that administration is not merely about files, offices and official orders. At its finest, public administration is about understanding a community, recognizing its aspirations and bringing people together around initiatives that improve both their physical surroundings and their cultural life.

A Man Remembered

Aneel Saeed will be remembered by the people of Attock as an indefatigable, honest, courteous and capable officer — a man whose words and conduct reflected the same dignity and sincerity.

His transfer to the Capital Development Authority in Islamabad is simply another chapter in a career marked by continuous movement, learning and achievement. But while officers may move from one posting to another, the impressions they leave behind do not move with them.

Some people pass through a place merely because duty brings them there. Others become part of its memory.

Aneel Saeed belongs to the latter category.

The people of Attock will remember him not merely for the offices he held or the projects he supervised, but for the manner in which he carried himself — with intelligence, humility, courtesy, hard work and an abiding sense of responsibility.

May the road ahead bring him even greater opportunities, greater achievements and greater distinction. And may the people of Attock continue to remember him with affection and pray for his success wherever his professional journey may take him.

This article is a translation of انیل سعید : اٹک کی یادوں میں ایک قابل اور باکردار افسر by Monis Raza

Aneel Saeed: A Bright Reference of Knowledge, Service and Character