Death anniversary of a legend goes un-noticed

Usual insensitivity and indifference makes us forget heroes

Islamabad, October 17, 2011 (INFN): ‘The Sir Syed of Karachi’ – as people used to call him, Hakeem Muhammad Saeed’s death day went unnoticed throughout the country on Monday.

Was this merely a coincidence that the birth day of Sir Syed became the death day of Hakeem Muhammad Saeed?

Hakeem Muhammad Saeed was murdered on October 17, 1998. Several MQM workers were arrested and then sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court. Counsel for some of the appellants, Abdul Waheed Katpar, challenged the jurisdiction of the anti-terrorism court. His contention was that the trial in the ATC was wrong because it was not a case of terrorism.

On May 31, 2001 Sindh High Court acquitted all accused. "The defence counsel in appeals had argued for the acquittal because the prosecution had failed to prove any evidence, whether they pertained to confessional statement, witnesses' account, ballistic expert's report and evidence about the recovery of empties and finger-prints.

On confessional statements the defense had argued that signatures were obtained first on blank paper while contents of the confession were written afterwards and therefore, they were fabricated evidences."

It has become a national character that the murder of our great national heroes is never investigated properly and their killers are never unearthed. The history stands a proof to this as the killing of Liaqaut Ali Khan, Benazir Bhutto and even the criminal negligence that took Quaid-e-Azam’s life were never investigated as they should have been inspected. Even today, the murderers of such legends are let loose and have become Pakistan’s mystery of history.

Hakeem Muhammad Saeed was a prominent and world’s highly praised medical researcher, scholar, philanthropist, and a former Governor of Sindh Province from 1993 until 1996. Saeed was one of the renowned and top medical researchers in the field of eastern medicines who established the Hamdard Foundation in 1948, prior to his settlement in West-Pakistan.

Within few years, the herbal medical products of Hamdard Foundation became household names. Hakeem Muhammad Saeed authored and compiled about 200 books in medicine, philosophy, science, health, religion, natural medicine, literature, social, and travelogues. On October 17 in 1998, Saeed was assassinated by the group of unknown assailant while he was on his way to attend a medical experiment at the Hamdard Laboratories.

Late Hakeem Muhammad Saeed leaves behind a daughter, Sadia Rashid, who is heading the Hamdard Foundation and the Hamdard Lab in Pakistan and has three grand-daughters.

On the loss of such a legend, we as a nation were supposed to organize mourning events at national level but who cares?