Dr Yasin Khan Durrani
PEOPLE like Dr Naeem Ghani, when they leave this worldly life to their eternal abodes, create a void in the society which cannot be filled for a long time. Apart from being Chairman of Nazriya Council of Pakistan (NPC), Dr Naeem Ghani was an excellent surgeon, educationist, philanthropist who devotedly carried his mission of poverty alleviation, Quaid’s mission and multiple projects for skilful employment for the women and unemployed youngsters in the fields of national importance. He was also a deft scholar in Islamic studies as well.
I know him as a benefactor of humanity and a very close friend of the Saudi royal family like another Pakistani Mr Anwar who had the honour of skilfully handling the Saudi economy and establishing State Bank of Saudi Arabia. His signatures were inscribed on Saudi currency notes. How I know him, it is a long story and to cut short; in early 1973, the Saudi Ministry of Health through Dr Naeem Ghani, who was serving as Chief Surgeon at Askari Hospital, Riyadh requested the government of Pakistan to acquire the services of few eye surgeons urgently from Pakistan.
The Government selected a few eye surgeons over-night as I was one of them. The next day we were in Riyadh. We received a call from Dr Naeem Ghani to see him in Askari Hospital. He advised us to work diligently as ambassadors of Pakistan and serve the people of Saudi Arabia to our best. He also expressed his desire to establish a philanthropic foundation to provide free medical treatment and skilful employment to the deprived section of the Pakistanis on his return to Pakistan.
After his return to Pakistan, I met him at his newly established foundation on the occasion of introducing his foundation to the Governor of Mecca (at one time of Riyadh). Dr Naeem Ghani named his foundation after the name of Kings’ beloved wife –Sultana. May Allah bless his souls in Paradise.
It is very satisfying to learn that Mian Muhammad Javed is equally competent and a highly devoted person who has replaced Dr Naeem Ghani. At one time, Mian Javed has served as Chairman of PTCL and was very popular for injecting a new life in it. We hope that he will follow the vision of Quaid-i-Azam in letter and in spirit.
—The writer is a former Prof of Rawalpindi Medical University and recipient of Presidential scientific award, pride of Karachi University and Hon. Professor of Tianjin University, China. He occasionally contributes to the national press.
