
Sarwar & Badar, Karachi, 2008. Photo: B. Sarwar
Dr Badar Siddiqi
Citation for Dr Sarwar at PMA House
May 31, 2009
“Death is more universal than life;
everyone dies but not everyone lives.”
– A. Sachs
We have met today to remember Dr. Sarwar. This man lived – and lived an amazing life.
I think everyone who knew him very well would agree with me that above all he was a very kind person with a great sense of humor who would make people laugh.
We should all be thankful that we were given the chance to have known a man named Sarwer. So let us celebrate the amazing life he led. He will greatly missed.
When someone passes away one thinks if
“Did he/she live with passion
Did he/she contribute something to the world that was previously missing?”
Did He/She touch other people’s lives in a positive way?
I for one have no doubt that his life was full of all three areas and more.
Sarwar was a leader and a extraordinary person. He was an institution in himself.
He added a new dimension to whatever he touched.
Most of us know this. It is all history now.
He formed Pakistan’s first student union DSF – Democratic Student Federation – and was chosen its first President. He also developed the unique organization Inter-Collegiate Body bringing everyone under one banner…..ICB 1953
He was among the leaders of the historic student movement of 1953. He was injured and arrested and it was in jail that in 1954 he cleared his final medical examination. When they though he will now be OK for them they released him.
Going through all this would have been enough for any ordinary human being anyone but not Sarwar who was no ordinary man.
When a member of the medical profession he joined the new leadership team of PMA where Sarwar, Hashmi, Khawja Moin, Haroon, Jaffer Naqvi – they traveled all over Pakistan organizing the medical profession and made PMA a strong and respected organization.
The new PMA launched a movement for just rights of the profession and provision of healthcare for the population of our country.
In the early 1980s in the background of strikes an all Pakistan PMA delegation met the government. Sarwar then the General Secretary led the delegation. I remember both of us sitting in an Islamabad hotel the night before discussing the strategy to present the demands to the five Generals led by Gen. Ziaul Haq. That night he taught me so much about how to keep calm and keep focused on the objectives and never to lose temper. He told me in the early hours of the morning that I will present the case for PMA as his personal background might weaken our case. This says a lot about the personality of this man.
He lived an amazing life. Sarwar was one of those persons whom everybody liked immediately because of his simplicity, because of his naturalness, because of his comradeship, because of his personality, because of his originality, even before his other singular virtues were revealed.
These qualities which acted as magnet to attract a galaxy of personalities to his house which was always a open and welcoming with his lovely wife Zakia at his side who we subjected to unfair demands. It is at Sarwar’s house that I had the rare privilege of meeting people from all walks of life in intimate and memorable gatherings which included all shades and of people. Poets, artists, writers, journalists. The atmosphere and the wealth which flowed from these meetings is impossible to put in words.
I will never forget evenings with great personalities like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Habib Jalib, Ahmed Faraz, Zehra Nigah,Syed Sibte Hassan, Ali Imam, Bashir Mirza{B.M}, Saleem Asmi – one could go on with an unending list
I will forever be grateful for the privilege more then 30 years friendship with a friend like him. All the memories I have shared with him will forever be cherished and remembered I will forever be grateful to have known Sarwar.
Doston Ke Dermian Wajeh Dosti Hai Tu
(Loosely translated: “You are the reason for our friendship”)
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Filed under: PMA Reference | Tagged: 1950s student movement, Ahmed Faraz, Ali Imam, Bashir Mirza, democracy, Faiz, Habib Jalib, healthcare, pakistan, PMA, Saleem Asmi, Syed Sibte Hasan, Zakia Sarwar, Zehra Nigah, ziaul haq | 1 Comment »