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Messagefrom the Chair

Dear Friends

On behalf of Publication Committee this is my honor to write this message for the class of 89/90 Silver Jubilee celebration.

It was a beautiful spring day of 1983 when the deep blue skies under a glazing sun and the wavering breeze from shores of exquisite city of Karachi were about to witness the dawn of a momentous journey of friendship, camaraderie and companionship. Today we are scattered across the globe and the endless boundaries that span across the deep oceans and continents instantly disappear in the spirit of love and friendship that we cherish together. This irreplaceable bond of friendship gives us hope, courage and audacity to meet challenges, setting new goals as we look into new horizons of better tomorrows ahead. Today our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude and our heads are held in pride what we have accomplished with faith, conviction, hardwork and believing in ourselves. Over last thirty years the class of 89/90 has evolved into a big family as we celebrate our success and share our joy and sorrow together!

Dear Friends: We are at a very important juncture in the history. As we get ready to pass the baton to the next generation, let’s not forget the poor and suffering people of Pakistan and our alma mater. The ventilator project is the first step in that direction and we thank those who have made generous contributions for this noble cause. We commend the extra ordinary work done by our classmates, Saba Jamal and Khalid Mehmood in Pakistan. Their astounding services under challenging circumstances for poor and needy are truly meritorious.

The publication of this magazine was not possible without mentioning few names .I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our dear friend Ali Tim, co- editor and co- chair, for his exceptional and sincere efforts. His innovative thinking, remarkable grasp of technology and most importantly his deep love for the class of 89/90 were instrumental to bring this magazine to you. I say this with absolute certainty that we would not have been able to produce this masterpiece without his help. I would also like to say a special thank you to our dear friend, Yameena Khan, co- chair of Urdu section who did a phenomenal job in creating this section. She spent countless hours and she was always there when we needed her. Yameena did her task with tremendous joy and pride. I want to thank Chair of the Host Committee, Zeba Aamir who initially introduced the idea of this magazine and provided us sound leadership throughout this challenging process. Let’s not forget Mansoor Alam for his valuable time and input based on years of experience. I would

The Host Committee welcomes you

to Washington DC on the auspicious

occasion of Silver Jubilee of Class of 89/90 !

“That our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks

what’s in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom

without love or charity or duty or patriotism is unworthy of our founding

ideals, and those who died in their defense”.

President Barack Obama

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Dear SMC friends and colleagues,

I am very excited to welcome you to the 25th class reunion held at Washington D.C. From peering into life

with timid uncertainty to looking at the world with steadfast confidence, we have all grown and taken up

active roles in society. Many of us have become leaders in the medical field, loving parents, and generous

donators. Although many of us are now scattered around the world, this reunion has given us the opportunity

to meet with one another, revisit the past, and create new memories.

It has been a marvelous journey organizing and preparing for this event. I am extremely proud of the

class’s efforts over this past year to give back to those in need. The Ventilator Project we started has been an

immense success but we hope this will be the start of an ongoing project.

This reunion would not have been possible if it weren’t for a few contributing people. First off, I would like

to thank all the sponsors and local businesses for supporting this magazine. For establishing the Ventilator

Project, I would like to thank Shahid, Rahat, Younus, Mansoor, and the team in Pakistan. For the magazine

publication, I want to thank Intikhab, Ali, Yameena, and everyone who has contributed. I would also like to

thank Moid for creating the plaques, Imran for creating the slideshow, and Sonia for moral support. I would

also like to thank Mark Zuckerberg for creating a social network that allowed us to find lost friends. Lastly I

cannot thank Mansoor enough. He has gone above and beyond for this event and it would not be possible

without all his effort.

Thank you for coming and long live SMC!

Zeba Aamir

Message from the Chairperson

also like to thank our writers for their contributions. Taking time out of their busy schedule and produce great work is another reflection of an extraordinary talent we have in our class. Last but not the least a big thank you to our friends and classmates who gave us donations to make this publication a reality.

Dear classmates: This magazine is a living testament that as we move forward our bonds of true friendship are stronger than ever and we stand united, hands in hands and shoulder to shoulder and the journey of friendship that started in the corridors of SMC goes on with our eyes focused into new destinations and future skies!

“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend”-Albert Camus

Best wishes to all my friendsIntikhab Ahmad, MD,Class of 89/90Chair, Publication Committee

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Today is an opportunity to refresh our souls. Reach out through various mediums to those who bring us the joy of living and help them heal in the process too. Reincarnate our being. Develop the nerve to accept odds and even it out with some doze of love, friendship and positivity.

Hail to SMC class of 89. Love and peace to all.

Best Regards Dr M.Ali Tim

By M.Ali Tim

College days and friendship it nurtured surely deserve an encomium, as those were the days where I discovered and met the person I was to become. Here we are celebrating our class of 89’, silver jubilee and many of us dwelling in different parts of the world may not be at the celebration pad but within our souls we all are overjoyed. We made it through thick and thin. Twenty fifth years together is a testament of our longevity and unison As a believer in free human will… I appreciated what each of my fellows had to offer during the learning process. The one thing that connected and sewed us was the will to alleviate human suffering, be it in any shape or form.

I’m glad to have the mentorship of some of the best professors and love of selfless class mates who I have cherished and befriended for life…they are family. We have seen various phases together, grown into people who have survived many storms and shared the bitter-sweet facts of life. It is never convenient to bond, but we need to do it for the sake of preserving our worthy experiences and let go of the acidic ones. Friendship itself is a healing process.

It is an enigma how relationships and friends not only bind and weave us with other individuals but also how they help form indelible impressions, impact and inspire us. I appreciate friends who have the courage to adjust to deviations life has to offer, accept iconoclasts like myself and alternative skills of those amongst us who dare to differ and heal the world through unconventional ways. I also thank those who have pursued medical profession as it takes varied expertise to cure the ailing humanity.

It is with friends that I learnt not to inhibit and freely express myself. Even medical discussions, combined study sessions and brain storming on theories became a way of life to study and also challenge various approaches. Accepting new trends and advancement in not just medicine but every field …is closely related to uplifting the standard of social well-being. It gives greater room for human mind to expand and think and see beyond the horizon. An ossified culture would eventually decompose.

With the way social media has accelerated the pace of connectivity, the world has shrunk into an oyster. Human sufferings combined can only be cured with the feeling of affiliation and kinship with no bars intact. Only friendship is that pearl that makes this oyster special. If universality of love were infectious…. The disease of hate could not retard human dignity and reduce it to the size of an earth worm. I implore one and all to bury the hatchet and sow the seeds of love .

FriendshipOur everlasting bond

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UNITED WE STAND!By Razi Masood

Each year that passes is another confirmation of ALLAH’s (SWT) wisdom, which he has demonstrated by keeping us together even though it was 31 years ago when we embarked on our sojourn in Sind Medical College. We have been blessed and many times I feel more blessed as a CR (batch 89-90) of the best people in the world. The time spent with you all is the most cherished asset for me. It is a matter

of great pride that we have stayed connected all these years

We have gathered this year for the silver Jubilee, testament to our longevity. We all have experienced varied modes of joy, happiness, sorrow, excitement good and bad times through our respective journeys. The high point however remains in form of our unison. Our friendship has been the strongest pillar of support. This anniversary is a great time to look back at the great times we have had and the great times that are still to come. Because every memory of friendship shared, even for a short time, is a treasure, like sunshine and warmth in our lives, like a cool breeze on a humid day, like a shower of rain refreshing the earth.

Someday many years from now We’ll sit beside the candles glowExchanging tales about our past And laughing as the memories flowAnd when that distant day arrives I know it will be understoodThat friendship is the key to live And we were friends and it was good.

- Eileen Hehl

On behalf of our whole class, I want to congratulate all of you for your achievements as professional, as family members and all that you have become in your lives today.I wish and pray to ALLAH (SWT) for achievement of your dreams. For your selfless goals and health of your families.

I would also like to thank Allah (SWT) for having me in your lives and prayers.In the end I would like to thanks all the classmates for the beauty you bring into the world & for being the mercenaries of God. Thank you for believing in me as your friend and a well wisher. Special thanks to the organizers for giving me an opportunity to unwind and take a trip down memory lane with friends who i made for life in SMC.

Thank youYour friend and CRDr. Muhammad Razi Masood

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Class of 1983Roll No.: 1Amirah Afzal

Roll No.: 2 Aliya Bano

Roll No.: 3Areeba Ahmad

Roll No.: 4 Ayesha Anjum

Roll No.: 5 Andaleeb Abidi

Roll No.: 6Atira Rahman

Roll No.: 7 Asma Haseeb

Roll No.: 8 Asma Nazar

Roll No.: 9 Ateka Mashkoor

Roll No.: 10 Aisha Khatoon

Roll No.: 11Amtul Quddos Latif

Roll No.: 12 Ahmareen Hajira Khan

Roll No.: 13 Aysha Tufail Qureshi

Roll No.: 14 Asma Zahid

Roll No.: 15 Asma Ansari

Roll No.: 16 Arshia Sultana

Roll No.: 17 Aneela Masood

Roll No.: 18 Deeba Akhter

Roll No.: 19 Darakhshan Qamar

Roll No.: 20 Dinar Sajan

Roll No.: 21 Fatima Rahim

Roll No.: 22Faryal Mumtaz

Roll No.: 23Farooqua Bano

Roll No.: 24Fatima Anwar

Roll No.: 25 Farah Naz

Roll No.: 26Faiza Naz

Roll No.: 27 Fauzia Asrar Shamsee

Roll No.: 28 Faryal Salma

Roll No.: 29 Fauzia Ashfaq

Roll No.: 30 Farhana Mubin

Roll No.: 31 Faiza Karimi

Roll No.: 32 Fauzia Haseeb

Roll No.: 33 Fahmida Tirmizi

Roll No.: 34Ghousia Jabeen Pasha

Roll No.: 35 Gul-e- Rana

Roll No.: 36Gulzar Noorulla

Roll No.: 37Gulnaz Yasmeen

Roll No.: 38Ghazala Aziz

Roll No.: 39Ghazala Iftakhar

Roll No.: 40Ghazala Malik

Roll No.: 41 Ghazala Mohd.Hussein

Roll No.: 42 Hareem Mahmood

Roll No.: 43Huma Jawaid

Roll No.: 44Hinna Mashkoor

Roll No.: 45Huma Umar

Roll No.: 46Ishrat Fatima

Roll No.: 47Kausar Izhar

Roll No.: 48Kausar Hanif Ahmed

Roll No.: 49Kausar Parveen

Roll No.: 50 Khalida Nasreen

Roll No.: 51 Kishwar Khalid

Roll No.: 52 Mahnaz Patel

Roll No.: 53 Majida Jamila

Roll No.: 54 Mussarart

Roll No.: 55Mahjbeen Fakhruddin

Roll No.: 56Mussarat

Roll No.: 57Musrat Un Nisa

Roll No.: 58 Naila Siddiqui

Roll No.: 59Naila Yunus

Roll No.: 60Nayyar Sultana

Roll No.: 61Naheed Siddiqui

Roll No.: 62 Nilofar Mansoor

Roll No.: 63Nuzhat Talib

Roll No.: 64 Nadia Anwar Khan

Roll No.: 65 Perveen Jameel

Roll No.: 66Perinbani N. Masani

Roll No.: 67 Qudsia Yasin

Roll No.: 68 Qurut-ul-Ain

Roll No.: 69 Rehana Mohsin

Roll No.: 71 Rubina Minhas

Roll No.: 72Razia Naqvi

Roll No.: 73 Rukhsana Haider

Roll No.: 74 Romana Shireen

Roll No.: 75 Rooma Shibli

Roll No.: 76 Rubina Ahmed

Roll No.: 77 Rizwana Hafeez Paracha

Roll No.: 78 Rahila Ali

Roll No.: 79 Razia Yaqoob

Roll No.: 80 Roobila Naz

Roll No.: 81 Syeda Ayesha Iftikhar

Roll No.: 82Sadia Noorani

Roll No.: 83 Shahida Rafiq

Roll No.: 84Syeda Sabeena Fasih

Roll No.: 85 Syeda Muneela Abidi

Roll No.: 86 Shazia Iftikhar

Roll No.: 87Shagufta Qamar

Roll No.: 88 Shabana Jaffar Ali

Roll No.: 89 Safia Khalid

Roll No.: 90 Syeda Khadija

Roll No.: 91 Salina Fatima

Roll No.: 92Sadia Fatima Siddiqui

Roll No.: 93 Syeda Shagufta Shahnaz

Roll No.: 94 Shela Alvi

Roll No.: 95 Shaheen Noor Chowdhry

Roll No.: 96 Samina Nasira

Roll No.: 97 Sarla Dodani

Roll No.: 98 Saba Jamal

Roll No.: 99 Seema A rjumand

Roll No.: 100 Seema Waris

Roll No.: 101Shazia Khurshid

Roll No.: 102Shehla Naz Shaukat

Roll No.: 103 Shamim Bano

Roll No.: 104Shabnam Aslam

Roll No.: 105 Samina Taj

Roll No.: 106 Shainoor

Roll No.: 107Samina Ahsan

Roll No.: 108 Shabana Hasan

Roll No.: 109 Tehmina Siddiqui

Roll No.: 110 Waqarunnisa

Roll No.: 111 Yasmeen Humza

Roll No.: 112Yasmeen Almas

Roll No.: 113Yasmin

Roll No.: 114 Yasmeen Hafiz

Roll No.: 115 Zeba Latif

Roll No.: 116Zarrin Seema

Roll No.: 117 Zehra Habibullah

Roll No.: 118 Amir Maqbool Ilahi Roll No.: 119 Abdul Karim

Roll No.: 120 Ajaz Afzal

Roll No.: 121 Abdul Aleem Khan

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Roll No.: 122 Aamir Rasheed

Roll No.: 123 Aurangzeb

Roll No.: 124Alimuddin Sheikh

Roll No.: 125Abdul

Roll No.: 126Abdul Nadeem

Roll No.: 127 Amir Moiz Chlisa

Roll No.: 128Amin Abdul Ali

Roll No.: 129 Arshad Mazhar

Roll No.: 130Abbas Hussein Zaidi

Roll No.: 131Khursheed Hasan

Roll No.: 132 Abdul Latif Khan Lodhi

Roll No.: 133 Arshad Jawed

Roll No.: 134Aqeel Ahmed Khan

Roll No.: 135 Arshad Amin Khan

Roll No.: 136Arif Shafi Ruby

Roll No.: 137Amjad Shahab

Roll No.: 138 Anil Kumar Zala

Roll No.: 139Abdul Rauf Memon

Roll No.: 140Ali Imran

Roll No.: 141 Ali Kamran

Roll No.: 142 Aftab Ahmed Shah

Roll No.: 143 Ayaz Ahmed Khan

Roll No.: 144Abdul Jabbar Memon

Roll No.: 145Amanullah

Roll No.: 146 Abdul Aziz

Roll No.: 147 Abdul Rauf Yousafi

Roll No.: 148Altaf Ahmad Abbasi

Roll No.: 149Ali Akbar

Roll No.: 150Abdul Jabbar Memon

Roll No.: 151Ashique Hussain

Roll No.: 152Abid Hussain

Roll No.: 153Amanullah

Roll No.: 154 Abdul Rab

Roll No.: 155Atta Muhammad

Roll No.: 156Abdul Malik

Roll No.: 157 Amir Umer

Roll No.: 158Abdur Rauf Shah

Roll No.: 159Aamer Nawaz Hamid

Roll No.: 160 Bashir Ahmed Shaikh

Roll No.: 161Baqaullah

Roll No.: 162Bhaghumal Talreja

Roll No.: 163 Devdet

Roll No.: 164Dileep Kumar

Roll No.: 165Diyaldas Roop Chandani

Roll No.: 166 Farhan Ahmed

Roll No.: 167 Farooq Mohyuddin

Roll No.: 168 Ghulam Nabi Qureshi

Roll No.: 169Haresh Kumar

Roll No.: 170Humayun Mirza

Roll No.: 171Hussaini Suleman

Roll No.: 173Iftikhar Ahmad

Roll No.: 174Irfan uddin Faruqui

Roll No.: 175Imran Khateeb

Roll No.: 176Imran Shamsi

Roll No.: 177Iftikhar Ahmed Khan

Roll No.: 178 Imtiaz Saeed Raja

Roll No.: 179 Intikhab Ahmad

Roll No.: 180Jhamandas

Roll No.: 181Junaid Sarwar

Roll No.: 182Javed Yakoob

Roll No.: 183Jamil Khan

Roll No.: 184Javed Akhtar

Roll No.: 185Khair Muhammad

Roll No.: 186Khalid Hussain Khan

Roll No.: 187Khubchand

Roll No.: 188 Kishore Kumar

Roll No.: 189Khalid Azar Siddiqui

Roll No.: 190Khalid Javed Verk

Roll No.: 191Kamran Siddiqui

Roll No.: 192Kamran Hassan

Roll No.: 193Khalid Mehmood

Roll No.: 195Mohd Iqbal

Roll No.: 196Mustafa Ghagni

Roll No.: 197M. Usman Chechar

Roll No.: 198M. Iqbal Khan

Roll No.: 200Masood Ahmed Shaikh

Roll No.: 201Mohammad Sharif

Roll No.: 202Mohammad Mushtaque

Roll No.: 203 Mohammad Arif

Roll No.: 204Mazar Muhammad Akram

Roll No.: 205Mohammad Jawaid

Roll No.: 206Muzafar Hussain

Roll No.: 207Mohammad Ayoub

Roll No.: 208Mohammad Younis

Roll No.: 209Mushtaq Ahmed

Roll No.: 210Mohammad Khalilullah

Roll No.: 211Mohammad AKbar

Roll No.: 212Mohammad Obaidur Rehman

Roll No.: 213Mohd Raza

Roll No.: 214Mohammad Razi Masood

Roll No.: 215Mirza Iqbal Ali Baig

Roll No.: 216Mohammad Younus

Roll No.: 217Masroor Ahmed

Roll No.: 218Mashood Mirza

Roll No.: 219Mohammad Sajid Khan

Roll No.: 220Mohammad Rafique

Roll No.: 221Mohammad Iqbal

Roll No.: 222Mohammad Ikram Kaleem

Roll No.: 223Muhammad Asif Qureshi

Roll No.: 224Mansoor Alam

Roll No.: 225Malik Hameedullah

Roll No.: 226M. Saleem Haroon

Roll No.: 227Mansoor Habib

Roll No.: 228Mohammad Javed

Roll No.: 229Mohammad Asif

Roll No.: 230Mushtaq A. Khan

Roll No.: 231Mohammad Ali

Roll No.: 232Mohammad Shoaib

Roll No.: 233Mohammad Nadeem Khan

Roll No.: 234Moaziz Sarfaraz

Roll No.: 235Mohammad Waseem Khan

Roll No.: 236Mohammad Rafiq

Roll No.: 237Mohammad Aijaz Khurshid

Roll No.: 238Mohd Nadeem Longi

Roll No.: 239Mohd Afzal Humayoon

Roll No.: 240Mohammad Nadeem

Roll No.: 241Mohd Amin Ismail

Roll No.: 242Mohd Afzal Kazi

Roll No.: 243Mohd Ayub Mansoor

Roll No.: 244Mohd. Jamal-ud-din

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Roll No.: 245Maqsood Ahmed

Roll No.: 246Maimoon Shadmani

Roll No.: 247Mohammad Amir

Roll No.: 248Mohd. Tariq Masood

Roll No.: 249Mohd. Imran Chistie

Roll No.: 250Mohd. Taqi Jamani

Roll No.: 251Noor Mohd. Memon

Roll No.: 252Nasir Uddin Khan

Roll No.: 253Naveed Ashraf

Roll No.: 254Nisar-ul-Qamar

Roll No.: 255Nisar Uddin

Roll No.: 256Nisar Mehmood

Roll No.: 257Nizam Uddin Ghori

Roll No.: 258Nadeem Ghazdar

Roll No.: 259Nadeem. A. Khizilbash

Roll No.: 260Naushad Sheikh

Roll No.: 261Pervaiz Saleem Khan

Roll No.: 262Qazi Asif Jan

Roll No.: 263Riaz Ahmed Qureshi

Roll No.: 264Ramesh Kumar

Roll No.: 265Rasheed. A. Siddiqui

Roll No.: 266Rizwan-ul-Haque

Roll No.: 267Razee Ameir Ahmed

Roll No.: 268Rashid Ehsan

Roll No.: 269Rahat Hameed shaikh

Roll No.: 270Rahat Abbas

Roll No.: 271Riaz Ahmed Shahid

Roll No.: 272Rizwan Ahmed

Roll No.: 273Rizwan Hameed Khan

Roll No.: 274Rizwan Ahmed Khan

Roll No.: 275Sharuddin Bhatti

Roll No.: 276Shahid Shafi

Roll No.: 277Saeed Ahmed

Roll No.: 278Shahbaz Khan

Roll No.: 279S.Sohail Ahmed

Roll No.: 280Shahid Hanif

Roll No.: 281Shakeel Ahmed

Roll No.: 282Salamat Rai

Roll No.: 283S. Muneer Ali Shah

Roll No.: 284Syed Ghazanfar Ali

Roll No.: 285Safdar Hussain

Roll No.: 286Syed Nayyar Mehmood

Roll No.: 287Sajid Jamil

Roll No.: 288Salman. Nayar. Ali

Roll No.: 289Syed Basith Amjad

Roll No.: 290Syed Zia Naqvi

Roll No.: 291Syed Faiz Shere

Roll No.: 292Safdar Zaiuddin

Roll No.: 293Safdar Munir

Roll No.: 294Shahid Akhtar

Roll No.: 295Shahzad Zia

Roll No.: 296Sohail Ahmed

Roll No.: 297Syed Ejaz Shamim

Roll No.: 298Syed Raza.H.Rizvi

Roll No.: 299Saad Zafar

Roll No.: 300S.Farooq Ahmed

Roll No.: 301Syed Hussain Naqvi

Roll No.: 302Syed Abdul Waheed

Roll No.: 303Syed Moid Zaidi

Roll No.: 304Syed Khalid Imam

Roll No.: 305Syed Irfan Ahmed

Roll No.: 306Syed Zafarul Hasan

Roll No.: 307Syed Mubarak Ali

Roll No.: 308Syed T. Iqbal Fatmi

Roll No.: 309Syed Javed Akhtar

Roll No.: 310Syed Farrukh Seyyar

Roll No.: 311Sabih-uddin Mirza

Roll No.: 312Syed Haider Ali

Roll No.: 313Shahzad Bhatti

Roll No.: 314Shahzad Zafar Malik

Roll No.: 315Syed Ashfaq Ahmed

Roll No.: 316Syed Sardar Ali

Roll No.: 317Syed Ali. M Raza

Roll No.: 318Syed Tariq Mumtaz

Roll No.: 319Sheriar Mirijikaka

Roll No.: 320Shahid Jamil Siddiqu

Roll No.: 321Shad AhmadRoll No.: 322Salman Akhtar Khan

Roll No.: 323Salman Ahmed

Roll No.: 324Tahir A. Shaikh

Roll No.: 325Tanveer Ahmed

Roll No.: 326Tasadug Hussain

Roll No.: 327Tahir Mansoor

Roll No.: 328Yousaf J. Syed

Roll No.: 329Zulfiqar Ali

Roll No.: 330Zulfiqar A. Laghari

Roll No.: 331Zafar A. Qureshi

Roll No.: 332Zarar Mansoor

Roll No.: 333Zaiuddin Faooqi

Roll No.: 334Zia ul Islam

Roll No.: 335Zafar Shah

Roll No.: 336Samina Bokhari

Roll No.: 337Mohd. Islamil

Roll No.: 338Durri Shahwar

Roll No.: 339Anwar Ali

Roll No.: 340Imtiaz Ali Rajpur

Roll No.: 341Masood Alam

Roll No.: 342Mohammad Hussain

Roll No.: 343Mohammad Saeed

Roll No.: 344Shahana Majeed

Roll No.: 345Naheed Zafar

Roll No.: 346S.M.Arif Shoiab

Roll No.: 347Syed Haider Abbas

Roll No.: 347Syed Haider Abbas

Roll No.: 348Amjad Ali Sheikh

Roll No.: 349Mohd Rashid

Roll No.: 350Yousuf Sale

Roll No.: 351Caroline Chow

Roll No.: 352Ahmed Hussain

Roll No.: 360Husain Suliman

Roll No.: 361Abdulah Peeraly

Roll No.: 362Aymen Shaban

Roll No.: 363Majid Ibrahim

Roll No.: 364Ismail Mirza

Roll No.: 365Afifa Raihan

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CLASS VENTILATOR PROJECT By Shahid Siddiqui MBBS ,MHSA

Dear fellows – It has been a great journey of planning, collection and execution for the Ventilator Project by SMC class of 89/90.

Since last two years our classmates in different parts of the world have been discussing charity and donation work for our Institution, Sind Medical College and JSMU, regarding it as “payback time to our Alma Mater”. Upfront, I must thank my

class fellows for coming forth and turning the dream into a reality.

We commenced discussions pertaining to the project this year. A lot of think tank ideas for an executable project were thrown in by different groups with the sole intention of deliverance within a realistic budget. Due consideration was given to the process of money transactions, purchase, installation, maintenance whilst keeping transparency as the key component. By the grace of Almighty we were able to lead into the venture by donations from all over the world.

Bimonthly meetings, an open forum for all the class fellows for brain storming were held by Mansoor Alam. It is worth mentioning that at first, the group agreed on the initial target of $50 K collection. It was challenging to identify and mutually agree on the right project to pursue. Everyone poured in their suggestions. Khalid Mehmud made a note worthy contribution by sharing his ideas in depth. After many thorough sessions our group agreed on the selection criteria (i.e. practical, realistic and quick implementation) and with the resources on hand, timelines, and practicality of the project for the ailing patients. The ventilator project met with the entire criterion and hence we laid the foundation of what we were aiming for.

After identifying the project the same was floated on class of 89-90 Face book group with the tagline “Payback time” Our mission to help out our mother institution was supported by one and all. Our generous class fellows stepped forward from all the corners of the world. Donations came pouring in to Dr. Rahat Shaikh, collector and custodian of the funds until final transaction to Pakistan.

Our respected class fellow, a doctor’s team comprising of Malik, Salman, Zia, Jabbar, Waseem, Mohsin have worked equally hard in setting up an account for smooth transaction of funds. The team will undertake the responsibility for the execution, purchasing and installation of the ventilators. All of their efforts are commendable. The overall participation of our class has woven the fabric of unity for the project to a great nicety.

I’m overwhelmed and it gives me great comfort to think that our pool of doctors have done a good deed for the suffering humanity. The ventilator project is also an assurance of the fact that despite living far away from each other we have sympathetic hearts and are always willing to help one another. May Allah SWT bless us all.

I will finish by saying that, no one has ever become poor by giving. This is the teaching of life and religion as well.

United We Stand!Amen

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A TRIBUTE TO OUR PARENTSAn extra ordinary generation!Intikhab Ahmad,MD, Staten Island, New York

(Written in memory of my late father and many of his generation who lived through partition of 1947 and gave us a better future through their sacrifices)

This is a story of millions of children living in Indian subcontinent before partition. As the seasons rolled over in months preceding the impending division of India, anxieties were growing due to uncertain future and unforeseeable events. But the lives of these innocent children were more or less as usual. They were not aware of the storm steadily growing around them. They were busy with their routines, going to school, playing with their friends and listening to the bed time stories from their parents and grandparents. In the late hours of dark nights and dusky mornings they would see their elders talking about “partition” but they weren’t able to understand the concerned looks being exchanged nor could they relate to the impact of this word. These innocent children had teachers, friends and neighbors who were Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Parsis, etc. and their credulous minds didn’t know the difference. They celebrated weddings and mourned deaths together. Despite religious, cultural and social differences, their parents and grandparents have lived side by side in peace and harmony for centuries.

In 1947 things started to change abruptly and many of these changes were frightening and unsettling. For months before partition, there was a chaos everywhere and suddenly atmosphere of hatred was growing around them-something that they had not experienced before. The life they knew was disrupted, friends they loved were being separated and families being torn apart. They weren’t able to attend school or play with friends the way they use to. Taking shelter at nights or turning into refugees… from bed- time stories into their worst nightmares which would keep them awake due to fear of assaults and attacks. The businesses were disrupted and it was difficult to make living on day to day basis. There was fear and anxiety everywhere and no one knew what would happen next!

1947 mass migration is considered as one of the largest in mankind history. Millions left their homelands,

belongings and more importantly the rich culture of friendships and harmony behind. Life in refugee camps was not easy where they lived for months before they could move to proper housing. They survived with little food, water and shelter and many starved to death. The genocide of 1947 and its aftermath are beyond human comprehension. According to some estimates millions died and thousands are still unaccounted for. It is sad that these families do not have any closure until this day. These innocent t children witnessed horrific massacres, rapes and unthinkable crimes against humanity. Many of them lost their parents, siblings, friends and close family members.

The life in newly created Pakistan was not easy but it was a new home for these migrant. There were no proper government institutions in place and law and order situation was bad, yet as a nation they were motivated to take on these challenges. Country was not equipped with proper health care system to offer services to the sick and wounded, yet they fought all odds till their last breath. There were almost no mental health experts to offer support to deal with bereavement and serious psychological consequences of the trauma that they had suffered during this migration. There were limited opportunities for education, employment, businesses and housing. Families were shaken, grief ridden and staggered, but they had an intransigent faith and an incessant desire to live in an independent country. Their resolve was unshakable and they were resolute in their hopes .Many of these children were raised by single parent or by adopted parents. They started a new journey with conviction because they believed they sacrificed for a noble cause. As these children grew older after enduring hardships and suffering through their audacious journey, they turned out to represent a phenomenal generation making their mark in every field of life. Be it science, literature, arts, agriculture, corporate sector or bureaucracy...what income group they belonged to had minimal effect on social well being or nurturing children of their own with morals and today we are proud to call them our parents- an extra ordinary generation! it is quite startling to know that this generation survived without any proper support, as compared to what we what we see in modern societies today.

Looking back I realize that my generation is the greatest beneficiary of sacrifices of our parents and grandparents. I wonder about their tenacity, will to survive and unequivocal love for their homeland. They were gifted with an exceptional resilience, honor and patriotism. They came to a new country after suffering through monumental losses but their eyes were looking into the skies of prosperous tomorrows. Their childhood experiences shaped their persona. They did not resent rather took pride in their sacrifice. They lived a life of content and compassion. Their sufferings transformed into kindness and they believed in forgiveness. I realize now that how painful it must be for them to leave all their friends and close families behind. They dealt with their pain with optimism and hope of seeing their childhood friends and families. The political turmoil of last 67 years has never been easy for them. Pakistan’s suffering has a different meaning for them and we cannot even imagine the pain they endure seeing martial laws, erosions of social and moral fabric, gradual deterioration of identity as a nation, economical downfall, civil unrest, corruption and ethnic and religious divisions. The invisible and impalpable wounds of separation of East Pakistan would never heal and left permanent scars in their memories. I remember my late father often saying that Dec 16, 1971 was one of the most painful days for him, more than losing his own father during the riots of 1947 while migrating to Pakistan.

Our parents overcame inconceivable circumstances through their perseverance, pulled through challenges with courage, did not accept defeat and stayed focused on future to build a better country for the next generation. I truly believe they responded to a special call, reverberating through divine nature to do an unthinkable task. They lived a self-sacrificing life with discipline, authenticity and dignity and gave us

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confidence and motivation to succeed.

Hence, here’s a tribute to the leaders of yesterday, mentors of today and our spiritual guides...our parents, who have set the right examples through selfless mission of fighting for freedom and giving us the desired space to be. We are indebted and eternally thankful for bearing the pain that we would have born had it not been for your untiring struggles, absolute devotion and reverence towards your mission of leaving a better place for generations to come.

Our parents represent a stupendous generation that was destined to make history in dealing with momentous challenges of their time, not seen before in mankind history. Those who are still alive, lets treasure them as we may not see another generation like this in our lifetime. Those who have departed this world lets pray that Almighty God give them the highest place in Jannat. Aameen

Intikhab Ahmad,MD

Author is Chief of Psychiatry at South Beach Psychiatric Center in Staten Island, New York and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at New York Medical CollegeEmail: intiahmad@yahoo.com

THE CYCLE OF LIFE “This success is not due to the strength of your armIt is because the Giver gives it to you as a gift”(RUMI)

By Kamran Hassan (London, United Kingdom)

Life gives each one of us a chance to make it work our way. I feel that as doctors we have been extremely privileged in our lives. Our education, skill set and dedication to serve the humanity sets us apart from many other professions. How far have some of us has gone in an individual capacity is irrelevant. Success is not achievement of worldly gains. It is about achieving peace and nirvana. My measure of success is by a different yardstick and i count accomplishment as a desire to do better in serving the suffering humanity During our different phases in life we have been tested with grief and disappointment and with the turning tides we have sailed through, swiftly in the most troubled of all waters. Allah has helped us through and i would like to thank the Almighty for all that he has bestowed upon each one of us.

We have survived 25 years, a life that has come full circle .Marriages, children and also grand parenthood for some of the colleagues. May Allah always keep them happy and prosperous. All this has been a gift from Allah, a gift which was bestowed on all of us because of the prayers of our parents. The gift was not just for us. We and all that we have achieved today is a reward to our elders and parents.

We have to now see how Allah bestows his gifts upon us?

Our happiness lies in the happiness of our children and that is the biggest test for us all. To bring them up with a sound moral character and values to face the world fearlessly and with confidence and to fulfil our dreams and hopes, who will make us proud in this world and the hereafter, and pray for us and remember us with good words after we are gone In the end i would only like to state that our goal should be to bring up our children in a way similar to our upbringing. It is payback time. If we nurture the seeds of love and harmony in our children Allah will shower us with his mercies.

Ameen

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A TRUE STORYBy Moid Zaidi, Houston, Texas

It was a beautiful New York morning of August 1992. I was in my second month of Internship, PGY-1 Internal Medicine on Medical floor, Aaron 2, at Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn NY. I had just arrived in US and was still in a transition state, acclimatizing to the surroundings, adapting to this country’s system, cultural ethics and above all learning Medicine at a warp speed and at a much higher level, as expected. Maimonides Medical Center was located in the heart of orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn, called Borough Park.

I was called upon to attend a patient who was chronically ill and was on a ventilator support. He was tachypneic and repeatedly triggering the ventilator alarm that morning. As I stuck his wrist to draw blood for ABG, his wife standing at the bedside inquired me about her husband’s over all condition. Upon my explanation she requested me to explain it to her son-in-law, a practicing physician, standing in the hallway outside the room. I came out of the room and saw a middle aged short height gentleman casually dressed in Khakis and brown loafers. I nodded to him and rushed off to the blood gas lab in order to get the test run. Upon my return, standing in the hallway, he politely asked me about the test results of his father-in-law and inquired of his condition. I replied reading from the ABG print out sheet, simplifying it in an understandable version, “Well, PH is within normal limits. PO2 and HCO3 look good too, but PCO2 is low! His vital signs are within normal range so it looks like as if he is hyperventilating. For now I’ll give him some anxiolytic to calm him down but I’m also going to order a chest X-Ray, some other investigations, repeat another ABG a little later in the day and will notify it to my resident as well”. To my explanation he graciously thanked me and I went onwards to carry out further orders and my daily residency chores.

Later that morning, the Associate Program Director of Medicine and my floor attending, Dr. Barry Herzlich came to make rounds with me. As we were walking from room to room, recognizing this doctor standing in the lobby, Dr. Herzlich wished him well and asked him the reason he was there for. He replied that his father-in-law is admitted to the hospital and pointed towards me as the intern taking care of him. Not only that but he also appreciated my efforts in taking care of his family member that very particular morning. After a brief exchange of pleasantries between both of them we walked away. As we moved along, Dr. Herzlich asked me whether I knew who this gentleman was. “No, not at all“, I replied. “He is Dr. Burton D. Rose, a renowned physician and professor of Nephrology at the Harvard School of Medicine. He has written several academic books and the title of one of his famous book is, Clinical Physiology of Acid-Base and Electrolyte Disorders.” Dr. Herzlich said.

Where I hail from, name and fame almost invariably brings on arrogance and disdainfulness. It seems hilarious when I think of it as trying to explain something to a person who himself was an authority on that particular subject. I still don’t know whether my explanation of acid base balance to him was right or wrong but what I observed was an amicable gesture of an extremely learned person and a very professional

demeanor of a physician. We learn a lot in life from people around us and at times these events and interactions leave a permanent mark on our lives. I still remember events of that day as if it had happen just yesterday. That day I also learned an important social lesson of life about the dichotomy between two distinct cultural societies; a lesson of humbleness!

Dr. Rose still practice medicine in Massachusetts and to those of you who don’t know him, is the founding editor of Up to Date®, a famous evidence based clinical decision support web program.

Article printed with the permission of Dr. Rose.

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IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAYFarooqua Jafferri, MD, Minneapolis, Minnesota

It seems like yesterday that we graduated from SMC. We all had high hopes and big ambitions to work as physicians and “serve humanity”. At that point, most of our female colleagues were engaged and close to being married.

A large part of our class was coming to the U.S., the land of opportunity, to follow their dreams. I was one of those who came quite early with similar ambitions. I had no doubt that I would be starting a residency soon. But Allah had other plans.

My fiancé was already here doing a residency. I got married the day after getting to the US. Before long, I was the mother of two beautiful kids. Needless to say, life got very busy. Any time I heard that someone got into a residency, I would think that one day I will get there as well.

Finally, I got into a residency, “bohut paaparh bailney ke baad”! Of course my family supported me immensely, but the constant driving force was my father, who taught me never to give up. I still remember my first day of residency - I went to my program director and told him “I am sorry I can’t do it, I am too old to stay up all night, my typing speed is very slow, I am a mother of two grown-ups and I don’t like to bossed around”. He said “give yourself a couple of months, if it is still difficult, come and talk to me”.

It is hard to believe that we are about to celebrate the 25th year of our graduation, and harder to believe that I will be finishing my residency in a month. I am ready to begin a new chapter. Every end has a new beginning. Life is a journey, those who are with you at the beginning, may not be with you at the end. I recently lost my father last year, but he will always be with me in spirit.

In looking back, it is not so important to have a particular career. It is more important to do well whatever you do, and to be honest with yourself and your family. You can be of use to others in many ways.I pray and hope that we all stay healthy and happy, and stay in touch with each other. I also hope we will be around for our 50th reunion, Insha’Allah!

THE DICHOTOMY OF IDENTITYBy Rubina Ahmed, Canton, Michigan

Where is our culture going ? When I was traveling from US to Karachi in March and had a stop over in Amsterdam I saw something which will stay with me .

I bought a sandwich and a cup of coffee from an airport restaurant and sat down at a table to enjoy my brunch . Across from me there were two more tables which were occupied. There was a Japanese family sitting on one with three young kids , mom , dad and the grand parents . They had ordered food and drinks as well . On another table there were two Middle Eastern ladies busy chatting . They had in front of them all kinds of chips and sweets and sandwiches and cans of soda as well as hot beverages in cups. I finished my brunch and disposed off the paper cup and the sandwich tray and straightened the chair as my mother had trained me . The beautiful Japanese lady did the same . She had more to clean up though. She did it without a frown . She made sure that before she left everything was spick and span and in perfect order . The chairs went exactly where they belonged . The table was cleaned with a wet paper towel and she picked up the bits and pieces of food wrappers if any on the floor that her tiny tots threw while eating .

On the contrary the two grown up healthy looking fashionable ladies in their glittery attention seeking hijab left their table messy with food and wrappers on the table and on the floor . They didn’t care to toss the leftovers in the trash can close by . They didn’t set the chairs right either . They walked off with an air . This little incident tells us a lot about the different cultures .

I salute the little Japanese woman who made sure the little world she touched was left in perfect order so others after her could enjoy it . The world respects people like her .

In our religion cleanliness has a tremendous value but we don’t leave a good example . Another problem we have in our culture is that some of us don’t want to spend our own energy on anything and expect the servants to do the job . I was in Lahore several years ago and was shocked to witness some everyday routine there .

My hostess, a beautiful young woman with two daughters and apparently in perfect health was quite incapable of moving a glass of water from the side table to the coffee table so she could drink it. She shrieked at the top of her voice so her servant who was taking care of another chore at the time dropped everything and ran inside to hand over her the glass of water . I don’t think the prophet (pbuh) would have liked that.

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The hijab that lady wears has no respect in my eyes . It’s only a show off . You can see it everywhere . My Pakistani patients who come to my office with their kids leave the front lobby and the exam rooms a mess . The dads are proud that their children are big and capable enough to make such a racket and such a mess just like they did when they were children and the moms just smile and watch .

I used to be very timid as a kid and the trait stuck with me for a while but I can’t be silent anymore . I tell them now to clean up before they leave and I tell their kids firmly to be less noisy . We see the same thing in the mosques . People do their own wadoo but leave the spot a stinking puddly mess splashing water around with no regard for other namazis.

We see burqa or hijab clad women ( it’s a fashion now by the way) who will spend endless hours on makeup ( more make up normally than what i had on my wedding)and a lot of money on their outfits and talk about religion and invite other lesser women who don’t spend so much time talking about religion to join them to talk more and spread the word more .

Tell you what , I learned about religion all I needed to in school . Those 10 years of Islamiaat was more than enough . Only if we can follow the essence of it.

I dare these women who host dars e Quran n show off their clothes and jewelry in those programs to do something like a soup kitchen or start a women’s shelter rather .

In Pakistan they can educate poor children and feed them and teach their parents some birth control. Build an organization even on a very small scale to help the poor . Anything other than showing off their knowledge on Islam .

Sorry ladies you don’t impress me at all with your talk . Go to a kutchi abadi or basti with your sisters and practically do something ( please dont post these pics on fb either)and you will win my heart . Show us the results . We don’t need to hear your talk . Get a talk show if you just want to talk .

JOURNEY THROUGH SMCBy Rizwanul Haque, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Guys, exactly thirty one years before on a shinny Sunday, 10th April 1983 at 8:30 am; we all started a cherish journey to a chosen destiny of our own, with a aim to be a professional of the noblest profession of all the time & ages, to be HEALER or MASSIAH. Yes we all stepped to the Old Lecture Hall with a simple & single aim to be a DOCTOR, and was surprised to see the moment we got down from the college point and crossed the Main gate our seniors greeted us with the titles of DOCTOR SAHEB & DOCTOR SAHEBA, believe me it was so mesmerizing to my soul, that for a moment I felt I got the best of the world. From then till today this title remains a part of our soul.

The journey we started on that great day was supposed to have ended in a five year time but then stretched over nearly seven years. We all stated as a teenager but over time we grew together as a unit, as a family, sharing our joys & sorrows together , there were ups & downs of the life & time, things got worst momentarily but then nothing deterred us from our goal for which we all were in SMC. I am sure we all did very well at the end, except a few unlucky ones who left us in between for final journey & destination, yes how can we forget late ISHTIAQUE & TANVEER the time we had together.

Over all we enjoyed the best of both the good and the bad times, we were lucky to witness the last SMC SU 1983 elections, saw the principle & practice of student’s democracy, as at that time democracy was left only with educational institutions, which for sure was far decent, matured & peaceful than the democracy we have in the country now. Then we witness the demise of student unions, turning the colleges and universities into battle zones, with reasoning, logic & discussion replacing abuses, threats & gun culture. Despite all these odds & academic losses, we were able to Graduate in Jan 1990, except a few ones who joined latter, & the whole class stood with them to start the House job together.

After graduation the priorities of the practical life changed for everyone, withstanding the new realities & demands of the time, knowing that without Post Graduation either locally or abroad there is no fair & better survival. A large number of our class took the cross Atlantic flight landing in the green pastures of North America, while those left at homeland some crossed lately to British Isles & Gulf while others went through a tiring struggle to earn a fair position & a decent living with a Fellowship or Membership locally.

Looking back at the gone days and years, I am sure majority of us now feel satisfied, as we are among the lucky ones on earth to achieve what we desired; we are what we want to be. As now majority of us are close to celebrating their Golden Jubilee Birthday, their parents & the immediate ones will be proud of them to seeing them in the role of HEALER on a broader scale.

Years after MBBS, we also lost a no of friends for natural & unnatural cause, hope they rest in peace & Allah

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Subhan Talah reserve a place for them in Jannah. In the end we must thank to every soul, every Institution who helped us to be what we are now, in this respect we owe al lot from SMC & JPMC and must share our prosperity to build and maintain these Institutions and the poor of the motherland who are fighting to survive against daily violence, poverty & disease. Let not forget that it was only Pakistan then made us Medical Graduate for only Rs 1200. I searched no where over the Globe Medical education had been so cheap and that too with quality. Naturally our teachers and mentors whose knowledge & teaching motivated us to think for better & broader future. Wish & pray for our friendship & unity to live longer as long as we live & Pakistan to be a prosperous state & nation. Amen.

LONG LIVE SMC & PAKISTAN.

A NIGHT OUT !By M. Ali Tim, Karachi, Pakistan.

My ISO certification of being a Hermit crab has expired. The recluse adjective has kicked the bucket and the social hobo status has become clichéd . Rusty tags of oblivion are on my chest and feathers of being a non socialite too have worn out. To conform wouldn’t be convenient. Old habits die hard. To change wouldn’t change east from the west, I thought.

To Go or not to Go was a big question when Lynette, my historian/writer friend who is the pioneer of collecting and publishing information on Legendary Musicians of Karachi, asked me to witness the infamous Club 777 in Karachi on the weekend. I am claustrophobic to the core and my innate viruses for noise pollution were giving me goose bumps. I cannot say no to her considering we have been best of all mates in my Cyberia (more commonly known as social networking world) for eons. Now it is time to meet her in the flesh and also land at a get together where music beings do what they do best i.e gig and jam. I give in and say a yes! 10:00 PM, Friday night is planned and locked.

Driving a couple of miles from my silent world into an utterly posh and happy locality with her, I could already breath freshness in the air. Outside our destination are parked just two cars. A big house, small gate and a burly guard. I heaved a sigh of relief. Wouldn’t be a lot of people, I said to myself. I could hear drums banging from outside. Lynette steps forward and introduces herself to the guard. He smiles and waves off the cover charge. We usher in to witness a live band playing right in front of a thinly populated dance floor.

This is captain Aqeel’s den starring the big man himself on lead/rhythm, Maxwell Dias on lead, Neil Araujo (bass), Ferdinand (saxophone), Giles (drums), Lenny (keys) and Alycia Dias on vocal chores. Tehman Lall is a cool guy playing lead guitar ala Hendrix and brings squeals of delight from the opposite gender present on the floor, amazing is his tone and guitar technique. The band is tight as hell and audibly the best my ears have witnessed in decades.

Floor I see is lit up well and the sound is beautifully balanced. There are two girls on the floor and one of them is taking pictures via a gadget called the Ipad. I am unperturbed at the modern digitization I see. I can do a better job with the old camera in my bag. My friend has one too and she is kind of an ace with it. We both fix our shutters and go on a clicking spree.

The house band has starts to warm up. I am listening to them play everything from Al Stewart to the Beatles and Dire Straits. The Captain is handling it well at the helm and Alycia is belting it out with an effortless ease, song after song.

More people walk in. Hammy American accents, slinky chics, fat guys, diet beverages, giggles and smiles..

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Seems like there is no dearth of Heaven in Club 777. I was feeling it and finding it just perfect to let my hair down when finally the clock struck Cinderella’s time.

Lynette had to head back and jet back to the land of the camels she hails from. She and I met the band formally during it’s first intermission, the parting hugs and most importantly “group photographs” were all sagaciously managed in a record time. Good night and goodbye to all at Club 777.

We lug into my car and right behind, resonating in the air, I could still hear Alycia sounding like Adele – ‘Rolling in the Deep”.

I do not forget to thank Lynette for taking me to the beautiful world of Club 777. With promises that we shall do this again next time when she is in town and exchange pictures online sooner than later, we hug and say goodbye.

She will be back and Club 777 will have more *starry nights!

Adieus.

WE ARE MUSLIMS. CAN WE JUDGE PEOPLE ?

Rizwan Khan, MD, Ithaca New york

So this is a 1 million dollar question that each one of has to ask to one self that being a muslim were we born with this inherited right to judge people for any deed be it a major or minor that they perform?

Regardless of what the answer is we just love to point out things in other people with the assumption that we are always right and no matter how noble the action is or what the intention was with which certain action was performed by some one else ,if it does not match our thinking than certain action has to be wrong or objectionable since it is not how we will do certain thing.So are our action limited to non muslims since they are not within the boundary of Islam or it can be towards the fellow muslims.

Have we ever paid attention to what Allah subhana Tallah says about this?Do we realize that by being judgmental we are committing an act of big disobedience towards our creator.Do we really think for second that when we judge some one about certain action,in reality we are completely ignoring the Orders of Allah subhana in this regard.

Have we ever asked our selves this question “who are we to judge” any one to begin with?Lets take some examples how one prays or performs sajda,how one makes wuzzoo;How one does the hijab,how one eats ,what kind of clothes one is wearing ,where the hands are when praying.

Some times even making comments about not praying and fasting or performing certain acts of ibada?These objections have gone to such an extent in the muslim societies that people have started to pay different levels of “pagris” and they have labeled every one else being “Kafirs” except themselves.Not just the mosques in Pakistan but almost every other mosque in US has group pf muslims fighting with each other inside these mosques (Masjid derived from the place of sajada) where we pray to ALLah Subhana Tallah.

I know a mosque where one group of muslim was able to push the other group of muslim out of the mosque and people had to pray out side on the street(due to inner conflicts lawyers were involved and it led to a big legal fight).

It was not between non muslims and muslims but among muslims.I am sure there are lot of other examples through out us, when it comes to these kind of conflicts.We muslims love to get involved in any kind of “Tafaraqqa Bazi “being completely oblivious of the Allah

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subhanas orders, ignoring the message of our beloved prophet Mohammad (Allah’s blessing and mercy upon him) SAW.

The irony is that not only we do not want to realize that this is completely wrong ,it is against the orders and Ahekamat of Allah subhana Tallah and his Beloved prophet(saw),we are also promoting these bad habits and wrong thinking in our kids too and in turn encouraging the act of disobedience to Allah subhana TallahNow lets discuss some reasons why it is wrong and why we need to change our attitudes We will take some reference from Quran in this regard

Muhsin Khan 6:101 QuranHe is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.

So just the reminder that Allah is all knower not us human being and he Subhana Tallah has the right to judge because he created us ,he knows ins and outs of every thing in the universe that he created

Muhsin Khan 3:29 quranSay (O Muhammad SAW): “Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it, and He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allah is Able to do all things.”

So yet another example where Allah is telling us what ever we have inside us or outside Allah knows and this is his power and Qudrat that he would know the intention behind a deed.How can be humans claim to have that power.Another Aya in this regard worth mentioning is 18:17Sura kahaf

And you might have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the midst of the Cave. That is (one) of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, signs) of Allah. He whom Allah guides, is rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right Path).

The guidance is in the hand of Allah and whom ever He guides is guided and whom ever he does not guide no one can guide,So who are we humans to pass judgments

Muhsin Khan53:30 QuranThat is what they could reach of knowledge. Verily, your Lord it is He Who knows best him who goes astray from His Path, and He knows best him who receives guidance.

So yet another example that Allah knows who is on right path and who is not .If Allah subhana Tallah wants to guide that person He can do it in no time.So we should stop judging people

Now lets take the example of Non muslims ,of course we muslims take no time in judging non muslims one thing is to invite them to Islam by engaging them in a civilized conversation ,the other is to insult them and humiliate them and driving them away from the message of Allah .we should change our behavior and thinking in this regard

Allah subhana says in Quran

Muhsin Khan16:125Invite (mankind, O Muhammad SAW) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Quran) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.

So look at this Ayah how Allah Subhana is telling us to invite people to islam by using wisdom and fairness.It is ok to argue with in a nice way with out insulting and humiliating them. This will increase the likelihood that they will listen to message of Allah other wise they will run away.The ayaa again ends on this note that Allah knows who is on the guided path and who has been astrayed,Raising the question how can we humans(muslims) take this matter in our hand.

In sura Maida Allah subhan watallah says

Muhsin Khan5:69Surely, those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah, in His Messenger Muhammad SAW and all that was revealed to him from Allah), those who are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians, - whosoever believed in Allah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Who ever has faith in One ness of Allah(Momen)and believes in his Prophets(mohammed saw being the last and final messanger ),the day of judgement and do righteous deeds will not have any problems as promised by Allah subhana tallah .

So who are we to be judgemental on non muslims, Having said that ,inviting them to islam in a civilized manner is our duty but than the question is are we muslims doing every thing in accordance to the Ahekamat of Allah subhana wa tallah and his beloved prophet Muhammad (saw)before we get to point where we can invite people to islam,Have we been able to remove all the shortcomings from within ourselves?Remember,we all came here from a muslim country and we all know (to certain extent ,we all are involved in some kind of wrong doing).Lying ,betraying people ,dishonesty ,no concept of following rule of law ,just to name some of the aspects of inner being and we are there to judge people?

Allah subhana watallah says in Quran

Muhsin Khan49:11 QuranO you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one’s brother after having Faith [i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: “O sinner”, or “O wicked”, etc.]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).

So paying attention to this Ayaat Allah subhana Tallah is warning the men and women both not to make fun or insult other people just because they might be better than people who are involved in judging people or making fun of other people.

When we are correcting some one or making fun of some one than we are just having this arrogance that

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we are better, but Allah is telling us that people who are made fun off might be better And the fact Allah subhana Wa tallah, is telling us ,who knows every thing and if we donot want to listen to him than not only we are committing disobedience to Allah ,we are also showing arrogance and we all know what happened to some one in heavens when he was asked to prostrate to Adam (as),every other angel did but this guy refused.In the eyes of Allah subhana watallah the important thing is taqwa which brings a human being close to Allah

Muhsin Khan49:13O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Lets all of try to attain taqwa,worship Allah subhana wattallah by removing arrogance and judgement from with in oue selves because we are Abad and our duty is please our creator by worshipping him and let him be the JUDGE

Rizwan KhanAllergist and immunologist Ithaca New york

CAN YOU BELEIVE IT !By Rubina Ahmed, Canton, Michigan

ABBREVIATIONS DELIMMA !

Once during an ICU rounds the intensivist asked a new Filipino intern after listening to the long boring history , exam and lab report , what the Is and Os were . The very meticulous young doc went back to the patient and checked his eyes and nose and reported that the eyes n nose were definitely normal since Is and Os sounded like eyes and nose

TEACHER TEACHER !!!

I remember when I was doing my medicine rotation in JPMC we were told to be in awe of the professor . Once during a round I declared in front of the respected doctor that I could not feel the spleen of a poor patient , Later I was lightly reprimanded by the RMO not to do it again . I asked him “what “? He said I’m not supposed to displease the Great Teacher during the rounds . Seriously ?????When I came to US and started my residency here I learned fast as the attending regularly discussed the cases with us and we were not kept in awe of him or even the program director . Not all of them were fair I daresay but I could also give them my opinion and remarks . Just thought to share my experience . You are free to disagree !

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THE LINE IS ENGAGED

When I started my residency , I was asked to make a phone call during the rounds to the social work department . After hanging up I said that I couldn’t get to talk to anyone or leave a message as the line was “engaged” . Everyone laughed and asked when was the line getting married . So I started to say “ the line is busy” . Years later , I don’t care anymore . Now I say “ the line is engaged “ so what ?

FEW PEARLSBy Rubina Ahmed, Canton, Michigan

HEALTHY FOODS !

We invite people to our houses end try to serve delicious food and delectable desserts but we can make it healthier and simpler. One of my Jordanian friends instead of ordering calorie loaded cakes with tons of frosting or making dessert at home with all the good stuff just serves fruit and fiber rich dry fruits like dates and dried figs and prunes . It’s good for everyone . This way you also train your kids to eat right . All the frosting although looks pretty is not consumed by the health conscious and gets wasted . Imagine the amount of cow milk that goes into it and not only is that a waste but is a torture to the poor cows as to extract the milk they have to have suction machines on their glands . They get sores from the pressure and suction . So think twice before you buy and waste that frosting .

BREAKFAST DELIGHT !For those who want to consume protein and can’t think of what to eat for breakfast there are other non dairy options . You can have left over chaat for breakfast . It’s light , healthy and also high in fiber . Esp those who are too delicate to eat eggs early in the morning . And why just left over , make fresh chaat . Open a can of garbanzo beans , rinse n rinse n rinse . Mix in a bowl with a dollop of yogurt with chaat masala or a few drops of Tabasco . It’s good for brunch or midday snack as well . And how about soy milk with strawberries or peach or banana blended in it . Well well !! I just shared my beauty secret with you :)

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MY JOURNEY THUS FAR

Rizwan Khan, MD, Ithaca New york

So this is the story of a Pakistani Maseeha.

I was born in Pakistan many moons ago. Traditionally just like any other Pakistani parents even mine had the hopes of me becoming a doctor planted in their minds .All for the right reasons too.

I worked towards their wishes and by the grace of Almighty i got the admission in Sind medical college.Although there were a lot of political ups and downs but I must say that years spent in SMC later summed up to be the best years of my life and I can say with confidence today that those were golden days of my life.Who can forget those rides in my Charade car where Shahid,Salman and Shazad were the Nawabs of their times and my job was to pick & drop them from their houses to Smc. I felt the driving job was delegated to me.

If there was ever this urge to eat the burger at the “Thaila” ,we would stop by and have fun eating. The tricky and most fun part was picking up the tab. It would go to whoever could afford to pay.

I can still recall Salman’s adventure of putting 100 Cham Chams in his mouth and when he couldn’t have more he started to throw up. The memory of all that fun is so vivid in my mind

It will be unfair not to mention the “Kiraya for Rikshaw for somone to go home from the surgical wards before the viva.

There is something that a lot of wouldn’t know about but since we are opening up ,all in good humour” let’s talk about , “Faqidul Misaal Waqia” .There were these 2 class fellows who were going home from Dr Shahzad’s house one day after finishing some discussion . At some point a post discussion argument started and it got to the point that one guy was asked to get out of the car.

The command was followed , and the chap was off boarded . He had to walk all the way from Hyderi to F B area , that thought of our folly still brings a smile to my face

One would also not forget “Munna or us kee harkateyen” woh Biryani ko Buryani kehnahy or qayqahy laganney kee batyen”

Those days were good Karachi our beloved city was relatively peaceful.At times we would take college points to go to Burns road to eat “dhagay may liptay kabab.Going to Clifton to enjoy karachi ki Hawa(breeze) is also fresh in my mind .We we so carefree.

Who can forget Arif shafi’s very famous Volkswagen in which he used to drive us around .We would all lug into it , drive to Burns road and drink Lassi . The old car had its moments bearing our load.

“Phir na janay kia hua kay meray piyray shaher ko shayed kisi kee nazar lag gayee aur phir loot qahsoot or qatal oh gharat kee aisee fizza garam huiee kay dil khoon kay aanssoo rota rehata hay aur un dino ka yaad karta haye jab bus or w 11 may beth kar har jaga aatay jatey thay”.

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by Neaha Aamir

Neaha Aamir, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the daughter of Aamir Rasheed and Zeba Aamir. She is a double major in Psychology and Art and plans to pursue art and child therapy in the future. Although her favorite medium is graphite, she is well acquainted with graphic design, painting, and sculpture. To see more of her artwork please visit: http://neahaaamir.weebly.com.

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