A tribute to Dr James Shera

Rugby honors on April 27 its leading light—Dr James Shera a son of Pakistan and its first Pakistani Mayor. He receives highest civil award for his yeomen services rendered selflessly over decades to the people of Rugby irrespective of caste, creed, colour or gender. He has lived a life of not only a good Christian but also of a devout follower of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah with the life long motto of relentless service and nothing but service to the people.

It shows Dr Shera’s greatness and commitment that despite the fact that his fellow Christians and other members of minorities are not getting a fair deal in the country of his dreams, he does not give in to dispair and is confident that Pakistan one day will become- in letter and spirit -MAJ’s Pakistan, as per his promise that all its citizens will be equal, free to go to their temples, churches, mosques and be Pakistanis first and last and that in his Pakistan religion will be a personal affair having nothing to do with the business of the state.

It was Dr Shera’s unflinching love for secular democracy and as a relentless crusader for human rights that earned him highest of esteem and respect of Pakistan’s twice elected martyred Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He enjoyed her confidence and his advice was constantly sought in matters relating to the welfare of minorities in Pakistan. While spending long periods in exile in London, Dr Shera used to be at Bibi’s beck and call at short notice. Indeed, had she been alive today she would have been present in Rugby to share the joys of Dr Shera’s well-deserved honor.

Former President of Pakistan and leader of PPPP Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have asked me to convey to Dr Shera their heartiest felicitation on his being honored by the Borough of Rugby to be accorded its highest civilian award -“Freedom of the Borough of Rugby” -in recognition of the services rendered by him to all communities in making them a model of Interfaith Harmony and peaceful coexistence. While wishing that if Pakistan had such selfless leaders like Dr Shera, condition of minorities would have been much better. However, they paid him rich compliments as Pakistan’s unofficial ambassador. They would have been here to attend this great occasion and to personally congratulate him but for their pre-occupation with the serious developments back home that require their presence.

Notwithstanding his close affinity with martyred Benazir Bhutto, I am also very lucky and honored to have enjoyed his unstinted support over 22 long years of my stay in the United Kingdom both as Pakistan’s High Commissioner (twice for nearly nine years) as well as decade long period in exile following my victimization by the governments in late 1996 and 1997 on account of my association with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and AAZ. That’s when I came to know what an asset it is to have steadfast friends like Dr Shera.

Dr Shera leaves no stone unturned to keep Pakistan’s flag aloft. He would not tolerate any disrespect to it nor would he compromise on national issues. As High Commissioner I have had many traumatizing occasions when I had to face the anger of members of Pakistani Christian Diaspora on their being subjected to un-called for violence by terrorists and religious extremists back home. I always found him standing by me to convince his fellow Christians that it is not only they who were being victimized but same was the fate of the members of minority Muslim sects such as Shias etc. The state had no hand in it. As a matter of fact, it was doing its best to eliminate such retrogressive forces in the country to make Pakistan a peaceful heaven for all its citizens without discrimination. I have no hesitation to say that Dr Shera made my job easier whenever any occasion demanded saner assistance. In respect of Islam phobia too Dr Shera did not hesitate to blunt it and nip it in the bud whenever bigoted elements tried to use religion as a source of disunity rather than generating Interfaith harmony for the greatest good of the largest number in a country which has no parallel on this planet as greatest living example of tolerance, spirit of accommodation and care for the needy. That perhaps was one of the reasons for him to receive MBE from Her Majesty the Queen and also third highest civilian award—Sitara-e-Pakistan (STP) from the government of Pakistan.

Dr Shera is widely traveled leader who is much sought after as a speaker on various occasions in different countries and his main forte is Interfaith Harmony. This has given him a well-deserved title of a bridge between continents and communities to make love and bury hatred. He has a gift of the gab that puts his audience in deep trance. Whether the forum is United Nations Conference in Istanbul or any other platform in Oxford or elsewhere—his thoughts and delivery carries the day with great aplomb. What is most outstanding about him is that often he has found himself –a Christian- nominated by the Muslims to represent them in international fora.

Dr Shera did not only make his outstanding mark as the first Pakistani Mayor of Rugby and second Pakistani mayor ever in UK, the multi-faith and variety of ethnic communities with different needs, would always remember his painstaking contribution as member of education boards from primary school to universities to open floodgates of education to all. On various ministerial positions in the management of the National Health Service (NHS) and as the chair and founder of Rugby Hospice Project Board — he would always be remembered in highest popular platitudes. As a dauntless representative of minorities in Great Britain, particularly the Pakistani and Muslim communities, whether through advising local government on how to improve intercultural and minority education or chairing various race and equality boards in the NHS and elsewhere—Dr Shera has carved a unique niche for himself in the hall of fame and in an unprecedented step in 2009, a street in Rugby was named “James Shera Way” for  “recognition of his services to local people” —perhaps he is the only Pakistani to have been bestowed with the honor of a road named after him in the UK. Pakistani Muslim community shall remain beholden to him for tireless efforts that the Pakistani community in Rugby has a mosque, community centre, and a burial ground, a rarity for a town of its size in the United Kingdom. It could have been only possible because of Dr Shera’s dedication.

Among many other areas of genuine endeavor Dr Shera leaves no stone unturned to disseminate enlightened understanding of Islam in the UK through the creation of the Interfaith Millennium Project; participation in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Pakistan Focus Group; chairmanship of the Pakistan Christian Alliance, UK and Europe; and presentation of numerous papers. He has also appeared in a variety of local and international media outlets.

Last but not the least, whenever Pakistan has had a natural disaster Dr James Shera would be leading the way to mobilize gigantic efforts for the alleviation of the suffering of the people back home. In 2005 earthquake Dr Shera was the first one to send two ambulances-cum-mobile hospitals to provide emergency medicare to the afflicted. During the major flooding in Pakistan in 2010 he raised hundreds and thousands of pounds, transported hundreds of water filtration plants, plane loads of medicines, clothing/blankets, emergency medical kits, tents and food items direly needed back home.

I conclude my humble tribute to Dr Shera on being conferred well-deserved honour of the Freedom of the Borough of Rugby that leaders like him are not born every day and the more we shall have such selfless individuals, greater would be the collective weal of the society at a juncture when life is becoming short, brutish and nasty.

The author is former Pakistan High Commissioner to UK