Not only the underprivileged children taking bribe are often rebuked in our society but also the children standing on crossroads of traffic signals, in streets or parking with piece of cloth and wiper offering the 4-wheelers owners for quick car wash are also yelled at not to touch their vehicles.
One such boy who always faces the public wrath is Noman Ahmed, a 12 years old young boy from Karachi, who earns livelihood by washing cars rose to occasion last year when he saved Karachi city from a disastrous bomb explosion and discovered 35 kilograms parcel in front of a bank building at Gulistan-e-Jauhar, right next to Darus Sehat Hospital, where he was washing a car. And ultimately became a young hero rather unsung hero who saved hundreds of precious lives but has not got the fame.
Today (Sunday) this brave young man as co-chief guest along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira will inaugurate a unique three-day poster exhibition to be held at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) as part of the public awareness campaign AMAN (Awareness Movement for an Alert Nation) that focuses on the responsiveness of the Pakistani public towards Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Clad in shalwar qameez, this shy off young man said his family depended on whatever he earned on a daily basis and that is not worth Rs 200-300.
Narrating his brave story, Noman said he was washing a car along with his 15-year-old cousin Amir and suddenly found a suspicious car that stopped besides them. “I kept an avid eye on that car and found that some unusual wires hanging out from a box that apparently looked like a cement block or a parcel. I immediately rushed to community police station and informed the police officials,” Noman said.
The sharp reflexes, ready response and the sense of responsibility shown by Noman averted a major incident that could have been one of the worst catastrophes in the history of Karachi.
“My cousin Amir initially got terrified and disappeared from the scene but I didn’t and determined to save lives of innocent people,” Noman said.
It was concealed in a block of cement and was placed 10 feet away from a community police post usually manned by at least six police constables and an assistant sub-inspector, he added.
According to Noman, the block of cement was right in front of the bank. “When the bank manager arrived in his car and saw his parking space occupied, he asked the guards to push the block to the side. “The manager asked us to push the block away but as we did, some bits of the block came off,” said Noman. Noman added that when they noticed wires sticking out they went to inform the police at the community centre immediately.
Noman’s father, Bashir Ahmed said he had four sons and four daughters and only two sons were working while the rest of them were too little to work. “My wife was killed in an encounter when thieves broke into their houses and gunned down his wife, when she tried to resist,” he said, adding his son Noman was a hero for younger generation who himself belonged to younger generation but unfortunately his bravery had not been recognised.
