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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Pakistan Flood Relief (Muzaffargarh District)

Everybody in Pakistan is aware of devastating impact of flood in the country, occurred last year. There were many organizations involved in the relief process as soon as this disaster occurred.  I'm blogging about one activity going on in the District of Muzaffagarh, a neighbour district of City of Saints Multan, just at the bank of River Chenab. A group of some young doctors from Karachi reached to one of its small villages called Head-bakini in the month of Aug, 2010. These doctors are still in contact with one of the residents of the village, Mufti Abdul Hameed Rabbani. Although the flood is over and most of the people are back to their lives in their respective localities affected by the water, but the mentioned village remained out of reach of the government and NGOs. These people are still homeless and are compelled to bear the extreme cold weather without proper shelter.

I personally know Dr. Zuhair Khan (an ex-Hamdardian, Matricualted from Hamdard Public School, Karachi in 2000) who is one of the doctors working in that area. He with his colleagues is assisting Mufti Abdul Hameed Rabbani to provide shelters to the poor villagers, particularly to widows who are not only homeless but have lost their life partners and the financial supporters of their families also.

Although much has already been done in these effected area but there is still lot more to do. If you just look at the recent flood in Queensland, Australia it was the worst of Australian history and people willingly started the rehabilitation process on voluntarily basis right after the water subsided. Although the Australian government is richer than the Pakistani government with lot of resources but the Australians are there to help their suffered countrymen. So this is the responsibility of the nation itself to stand up on its own feet and not to rely on foreign ad or beg for the loans on easy instalments (so called).

To sensitize the issue and attract the attention of readers of this write up I'm taking this opportunity to request everybody to kindly help Dr. Zuhair and his colleagues. They are raising funds to build basic housing (a roof and four walls) for the most needy of the village which are widows with children. The cost of building one shelter is PKR 72,000.00 (AUD 850.00 approx.). This is the most important of all because of the winter season in the area. Already 17 of such houses have been successfully constructed and handed-over to the widows but still 31 are lagging due to insufficient funds. The fund raisers can be reached at the contacts below for further details. You can contribute from your Zakat, Sadaqat or simple charity money for the purpose. This act of generosity will be rewarded by Allah here and hereafter.

Contact persons with contact numbers and countries:

Mufti Abdul Hameed Rabbani: +92 300 2135 675 (Pakistan)

Dr. Muhammad Ismail Shafi: +92 300 358 1338 (Pakistan)

Dr. Zuhair Khan: +61421965440 (Australia) +92 334 343 9919 (Pakistan)

Faraz Khan:  +61 42 115 6732 (Australia)

A facebook group has also been created for the purpose; facebooker can join the same for latest updates at

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_177444812293070&ap=1

Monday, January 10, 2011

Hakim Mohammed Said, a man with vision


There are a number of terms to introduce Shaheed-e-Pakistan Hakim Mohammed Said (January 9, 1920 – October 17, 1998); he was an enthusiastic educationist and Hakim (physician). In addition to these, his multidimensional personality includes a seasoned writer, a wandering tourist, an altruistic philanthropist, a true patriot and a highly responsible Governor of province, but above all he was an admirable human being and a practicing Muslim.

His professional career started with migration to his beloved country Pakistan in 1948 where he founded a small Matab (clinic) of herbal medicines. This small clinic then turned into a well known non government institution, Hamdard Laboratories Pakistan, which afterwards gained the status of an active pharmaceutical industry and was transformed into a Waqf (trust) in 1953. In 1958 Hakim Said established Hamdard Tibbia College where a degree in Uniani (Greece) Medicines was offered.

It was in early 1980s when he started to materialise his dream of establishing a city of knowledge, culture and industry. This dream started coming to a reality when in 1983 the land near Northern Bypass some 27 km away from Karachi was purchased. General Zia ul-Haq the then president of Pakistan laid the foundation stone of the mega project called Madinat al-Hikmah in June 1985. The first institute to start working was Hamdard Public School in 1990, with no electricity and gas connection, also there was no water line to the school complex and the road was even not carpeted from the city to the school. But these deficiencies could not stop the staff and students to start the process of learning at the institute.

This was only possible due to the driving force behind the project, because the man behind it was the man with vision and mission.

He used to visit the school every week and would mix with the kids. Hakim Said was a footballer during his student life therefore he focused on the physical strength of the kids also. For this purpose a well equipped stadium was constructed at the school premises. This stadium became the centre of all on campus sports and co-curricular activities.

Later on Hamdard University, Hamdard College of Eastern Medicine, Bait ul-Hikmah (library) and Hamdard Village School also started functioning step by step under Hamdard Foundation Pakistan.

This is one aspect of his personality, as a writer he produced a number of manuscripts on diverse subjects, from kid's stories to technical reports and research thesis. One of the major areas of his authorship was to write travelogues and he was really good at that, because readers used to travel with him as a companion while reading his travelogues. He was a Hafiz of Quran also, so he gathered a large number of Quranic manuscripts from across the world at Bait ul-Hikmah.

To educate and train the children he started the forum of Naunehal Assembly where kids from different schools used to participate and share their views with their fellows, parents, teachers and the eminent scholars. Similarly Hakim Said also developed a platform for the leaders by the name of Hamdard Shura. He shared his experience and knowledge at various national and international conferences, symposiums and workshops by presenting his research and delivering technical and general lectures. His debating style was simple, logical and spontaneous therefore the audience of all ages were equally able to listen and understand him.

Government of Pakistan acknowledged the services of Hakim Said to his countrymen and he was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1966 and the highest civilian award of Pakistan Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 2000. These are the two major awards from a long list of achievements.

He never believed in making property for himself as he lived in the only house in Karachi since his arrival to the country till the day of his assassination. He always ate simple meal and wore white dress comprising the Sherwani that was washed by him, usually. He had a habit of fasting and he was assassinated in the same mode also.

He was a person who thinks that 'Why not' so he brought his dreams to reality not for himself but for the others, he always believed in giving and did not hesitate in giving his life in the noble cause of serving the humanity. He once said that

اس دنیا میں جتنے بھی بڑے لوگ گزرے ہیں جتنے بھی بڑے لوگ سامنے آئے ہیں تم انکی زندگی کا مطالعہ کروتو تم یہ دیکھو گے اور غور کرو گےہر بڑے انسان نے اپنی ذات کی قربانی دی ہے۔ آپ کسی بھی بڑے انسان کو دیکھ لیجیئے اس نے ایثار کیا ہے اور دوسرے انسانوں سے محبت کی ہے اور انکا احترام کیا ہے یہ چیزیں بڑا انسان بننے کے لئے بہت ضروری ہیں۔
If you look at the great people of the world, read out about their lives, you will find that and realize it that every great person has sacrificed himself. You look at any great person he would have abnegated himself and loved the human beings and respected them. This is a compulsion to become a great person.

These words reflect his thoughts and he practiced the same till his last breathe. May his soul rest is peace, amen.