Khurshid - thy name is modesty

By Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah

“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.<http://thinkexist.com/quotation/greatness_is_not_found_in_possessions-power/331075.html>”  William Arthur Ward What is the best award one can hope to get posthumously? Everyone wishes to be known as a nice and humble person who contributed significantly to improve the society.

A doctor would like to be remembered as a knowledgeable doctor with good skills but more importantly as a caring physician.

A politician spends whole of his life to be acknowledged as a successful politician whose heart ached for the underprivileged.

A bureaucrat, after serving at citadels of power in various capacities,  would like to go down in the annals as a humble officer who made significant contribution to ameliorate the lot of the poor.

The people do not care how much wealth one accumulates and medals one wins, while walking along the coffin, there are two things that are discussed -humility and services for the poor.

If this be the criteria, Khurshid Ahmed, had showers of praise from all quarters during his last sojourn!

"Khurshid sahib was perhaps one of the most humble persons that I have ever come across," remarked Amer Ali Shah as we walked along the Janaza.

Everyone around nodded to show their agreement. Young and old among relatives, while praising him, would summarise, "he was an extraordinary person - very talented and at the same time very humble."

All his friends while lamenting the irreplaceable loss agreed, "he was a unique blend of dedication and hard work and on top of everything blessed with an unassuming nature."

"This is a special chit for you!" Hameed, a 45 years old patient, disclosed as he delivered the chit to me. This gentleman had suffered a heart attack a year ago and was experiencing angina on minimal exertion.

I had suggested angiography with a possible intervention like angioplasty or bypass surgery a month ago. He refused to even entertain the possibility at that stage but was now convinced.

This was made possible by nobody else but Khurshid Sahib.

Not only that, the chit bore a note declaring to bear all expenses, more like an open cheque!  

This gentleman, subsequently, underwent angioplasty with stenting of two vessels, and is fit as a fiddle working fulltime and earning bread for his family.

Whenever he visits me he has tears in his eyes and a smile on his lips as he mentions the name of his saviour!

His facial muscles became tense and colour changed, as I suggested surgery for his ten years old daughter.

Little Kausar was born with a complicated heart problem! She had a hole in her wall between two pumping chambers of heart and the outflow of right pumping chamber was restricted along with malalignment of main blood vessel called aorta.

His poverty was obvious by his attire. His looks were imploring! I offered him free angiography and referred him to Khurshid Sb to look after the expenses of surgery. Between the three of us, we organised surgery at Karachi, where she was safely operated upon. The lady is now a proud mother of two children and leading a normal life. Whenever she comes to see me she brings a present, mostly eggs, hen or corn flour. She has probably not met Khurshid Sb, but guess what -her prayers must start with his name and perhaps end with endless prayers for his family.

Doctors' clinics are busy public places. Getting an appointment can sometimes be difficult. Many people adopt different 'methods' to get in as soon as possible.

Some bring in chits, some book in advance and more powerful call us through different 'people who matter' for an early appointment and disposal.

Patience is an unknown virtue in our nation.

I had been taking care of Khurshid Sb for close to two decades. Not even once he tried to barge into the clinic, though I would have welcomed it.

He would invariably get a routine appointment, sit in a corner and made efforts not to be known. He was very meticulous in his record keeping and would follow instruction in letter and spirit.

He must be one among very few, who I never minded to see without prior arrangements, but he never misused this 'license'.

"Doctor Sb, I am very well and have recovered from bypass surgery you had advised!" he called me from the hospital in London, almost immediately after his surgery.

Very few remember their referring physicians when they see 'Goray sahibs'. My respect for him enhanced tremendously as he would keep me informed at every step of recovery. When he needed another angiogram, I advised him to go abroad. He refused point blank and got it done in Peshawar.

There was a small branch for which a doctor in UK had advised angioplasty. But, I thought it did not deserve any intervention.

We needed a second opinion from an expert in the field of intervention - Dr Park from Seoul, Korea. His son Husnain though email and fax, got the opinion.

Fortunately it seconded my opinion. Khurshid Sb, was particularly leased and would mention this again and again to his friends.

Tubelights are bane our life working in a public hospital.

At any given time, one third of tube lights in our wards are not working, for one or another reason. Many a time our stores are dry and we have to procure them from our personal resources.

I never faced any problems - one phone call and they will be delivered to the hospital from Khyber Lamps. His only question would be, "how many?" Large energy savers providing light in front of administration and surgical block were a gift from Khyber Lamps. 

Husnain - his son remains an active member of 'friends of Lady Reading Hospital' and supports philanthropic activities. As a matter of fact the whole family has their door open for poor and underprivileged and extends all possible help.

Victims of burns knock at their doors for a unique spray which is not available in the market. They had even offered to build a burn unit through their own resources in a public hospital.

A well-equipped dispensary near their factory offering free services to all speaks volume of their generosity and 'dard-e-dil'.

"Modesty is a shining light; it prepares the mind to receive knowledge, and the heart for truth," said *Madam Guizot*<http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Madam_Guizot/> and can be rightly applied to Khurshid Sb.

He was a leading industrialist of the province and chose to invest in Peshawar, when other people were looking for greener pastures outside. The expansion of their units bears testimony to their planning, honesty and dedication. He chose a relatively unexplored field and excelled in it.

This is due to his efforts that his brain child can today boast and I quote from their site House of *Khyber Lamps*, Pakistan's top Consumer Electronics Companies <http://www.houseofkhyberlamps.com/>: The "House of Khyber Lamps" comprises of Khyber Electric Lamps Mfg. Co. Ltd. (1977), Al-Karam Lamps (Pvt.) Ltd. (1989), Crown lighting (Pvt.) Ltd. (1996) and Imperial Electronics Lighting (Pvt.) Ltd. (2006) - the largest manufacturer of incandescent light bulbs, specialty bulbs, tubelights and Energy Saver Lamps (CFL) in Pakistan.

The "House of Khyber Lamps" achieved a milestone in Pakistan by incorporating M/s Imperial Electronics Lighting (Pvt.) Ltd. (2006) to manufacture Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL), the first ever hi-tech, state of the art and highly sophisticated plant in Pakistan and for this purpose the management have signed memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and an agreement with the Kumho Electric INC., Korea for the transfer of technology and technical knowledge.

Today, by the grace of Allah Almighty, the House of Khyber Lamps is a widely-recognised company in Pakistan with more than 60 per cent of the market share.

All the manufacturing units of the "House of Khyber Lamp" are "*ISO 9002"*certified, which clearly indicates our commitment, dedication and aim to light the world.

Our second commonest rendezvous was Bilal Mosque. His concentration during prayers was worth emulating! During later part of his life, he developed age related changes in his knees and he found it difficult to walk.

But his 'pains' did not keep him away from the eternal 'gains'. He was very popular among the frequent visitors of the mosque.

Any person in need could approach him after prayers and most times the needs would be met and in a way Khurshid Sb would become a vehicle for the delivery of Allah Subhnau Taala's bounties.

In his death, the city has been deprived of a patriarch and a humanitarian, the industry of an innovative, dedicated and honest industrialist and the poor of a philanthropist whose pocket matched his love for the poor and who had the valour to spend in the way of God.  His life was a practical example of what was said long time ago, "The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.