Islamabad
She got one of her leg amputated but at least she is alive! The old lady, who was almost abandoned and inching towards a painful death while lying on bed-2 in Ward 12 of the CCU in the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH). Thanks to the timely intervention by so many people who responded to the appeal made through these columns.
It was indeed heartening to see the response from general public to the distress call made through social media as well. The response was swift. People turned up. Most of them offering money and some even spared precious time to remain close to the patient in case they were needed.
But all that was not enough! The money or the sympathies being offered were not going to help much to arrest the deteriorating condition of Ishrat Firdous. Her sister and niece, quietly shed tears on her bed side. “I pray to Allah to ease out her miseries!” she mumbled as tears kept rolling down her sister’s wrinkled cheeks.
Outside the ward in the waiting area, some people were counting money and seriously contemplating whether to contact Edhi for getting an ambulance to shift the dead body to Gujar Khan or engage a private one on rent.
And then the things started stirring up. Somebody somewhere in the echelons of power took notice and started pulling the strings.
Well, I think when we wish like bashing and criticizing some such person, we don’t hesitate to make their names and their positions public. So, I believe it would be unfair if I may keep his identity a secret here when he has done something good. And that too purely on humanitarian grounds!
It was not the Chief Minister or the Health Minister or anyone from a long list of VVIPs who are always overly eager to grab an opportunity (or even create one) that may bring some positive publicity. Unfortunately such VVIPs have been thriving on the publicity resulting out of a tragedy.
This time the initiative or the directions came from the Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. And it was aimed at preventing a tragedy. This may sound strange to many but the fact is that I have never met Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan even once over the last 36 years since I started my career as a journalist back in 1979.
I may be having my own views and opinion about his personality, his style of working or his political, social or cultural stance. But I grudgingly concede that he impressed me this time.
He couldn’t spare time to personally pay a visit to the patient in the hospital. Probably he doesn’t like that kind of publicity. But he did what was practically required. He sent ‘his people’ over to the BBH, who met the Medical Superintendent and then accompanied by him and some other doctors, they met the patient.
And that visit made a hell of a lot of difference. He also sent some money in cash to the patient, which was accepted with utter gratitude and tearful eyes. The visit by the people from ‘Minister’s Office’ prompted some quick response from the surgeons and doctors in the hospital. The ‘life saving surgery’ was performed and because of better post operation medical care, the old lady has survived. It obviously is Allah Almighty’s will and blessings but these human beings played their role!
So, I wish to extend my thanks and gratitude to all those who responded so quickly when the news appeared regarding the plight of the old lady in these columns about a couple of weeks ago and also want to inform that she was discharged from the hospital a few days back. Also that now some relatives have turned up who have taken her along to her home in Gujar Khan and I hope they will take good care of her.
So, this is to say to all of you, including Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, a ‘Big Thank You!’
