My name is Zia-ur-Rahman Zabeeh Awan and I am also addressed as Zia Zabeeh. I am son of Maulana Ismail Zabeeh who was a great statesman, journalist par excellence, close associate of Quaid-e-Azam and one of the Pioneers of Freedom Movement.
Besides issuing commemorative stamp in his honour in 2003, a prominent road has also been named after him in Sector F-8 Islamabad.
I had my very initial education in my ancestral village More Kalan and Kathwal near Thandiani, District Abbottabad. Later I did my matriculation from Cantt. Public School, Peshawar in 1959, B.A. from Edwards College Peshawar in 1963 and Masters in Political Science from Peshawar University in 1965.
I had the unique distinction of being the best speaker of school, college and my University Department and lifted umpteen trophies in All-Pakistan debates. I was also the President of my College Debating Society and its Students Council.
I was also member of the teaching faculties of Edwards College Peshawar, 1965-66 and Cadet College Kohat, 1966-70.
On qualifying the Civil Services Exam, I joined Trade and Commerce Group in 1970 and later I opted for Postal Services. There, I proudly served for 36 years with distinction in different capacities i.e. Controller General of Treasury Papers and Stamps, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Communications and on my accelerated promotion to BPS-21 in 1993 was posted as Director General Administration in the newly created Postal Services Corporation.
On conversion of the Pakistan Post into a High Powered Management Board in 2002, I had the privilege of serving in certain key positions including Member Board & Additional Director General, Planning, Implementation and Monitoring of Existing and New Projects, Administration, Postal Operations and as Director, Postal Staff College headed all the training institutes of Postal Services.
I authored many books on different topics relating to the Post and Freedom Movement and represented Pakistan in numerous conferences, seminars, meetings and exhibitions as Head of the Delegation in different parts of the world.
I was given the honour of being nominated as Chairman of :
(i) INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE and
(ii) UPU-IATA CONTACT COMMITTEE at Berne, Switzerland.
Life Time Achievement Award was conferred upon me on 9th October, 2004 (Universal Postal Union Day) at the Auditorium of National College of Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, Philatelic Federation of Pakistan and National College of Arts, Lahore.
On my superannuation in August, 2005 I was re-employed immediately and soon on the orders and directions of the Prime Minister replaced Agha Masood Hasan and assumed the charge of the Director General and Chairman, Pakistan Post which position I retained till I resigned as Chairman and Director General in 2006 to look after the long neglected family business which I continue till date.