An unbreakable spirit prevails over pain

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Dr Aslam Azad has come to terms with his pain. Hailing from a poor family of Sujawal (a small village of the southern coastal part of Thatta district), Azad completed MBBS from the Liaquat Medical College Jamshoro.
Besides, being the editor of a magazine, a correspondent for two newspapers and the founding member of Jamshoro Press Club, he played an active role in political and social movements of his time. After completing his studies, he organising various medical camps for the poor people of the neglected Thatta district.
However, he had an accident while returning from a medical camp on December 20, 1991, and spinal cord was damaged.
He went through a number of surgeries and spent almost a year at the Aga Khan University Hospital, but the doctors were unable to treat him and declared him quadriplegic.
“I started adjusting to the everyday difficulties of life. … I cannot fight my disability, but I have accepted it. This has given me power, the power to fight with pain,” he says.
Azad has involved himself in various activities; he offers free tuitions to the students of his village, free medical services to patients and he is an active member of various nongovernmental organisations working in his town for the betterment of the poor people of Sindh. He is currently working on his autobiography and poetry. Various politicians, intellectuals, poets, journalist and friends visit him frequently.
He says, “Accept the world with a smile. Your tragedies and difficulties are an integral part of life, so make sure you accept them with smile.”
Despite his disability, he is an asset for the students who come to him for free tuitions, the patients who seek his assistance, his family which is together because of him and his friends who depend on him for the decisions in their lives.
The accident in 1991 broke his body but was unable to break his spirit. He is a man of courage and power.

21 COMMENTS

  1. I am really proud to be brother of Dr. Aslam. He is symbol of hard work, courage and determination. Dr. Aslam is a role model of brave thoughts. He fights for his life each day with an open mind and fresh thinking. Despite the fact that my brother' s body does not cooperate with him and he can move only his head, he stil looks to the world with lots of hope. Happy Birthday dear Dr. Aslam
    Aziz Ali

  2. Twenty years after the accident, Dr. Aslam is hard like a rock despite of all his disabilities. He continues to smile, make jokes and contribute positively in the community. His courage is examplary and spirits very high. His brother has rightly commented, Dr. Aslam is indeed a symbol of hard work, courage and determination. I wish a very Happy Birthday to Dr. Aslam.
    Dr. Mansoor Khowaja, Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

  3. Dr. Aslam is the driving force behind the success stories of his friends, family and well wishers. The accident in 1991, broke his body but was unable to break his spirit, he is a man of courage and power.
    Happy Birthday Chacha Aslam !

  4. Dr. Aslam is symbol of courage willpower & unity in family & friends. We proud of his
    efforts for defeating his painful life & he is asset for our family . We pray for his long life. He is a best institution for others who are fighting with their hard & difficult life.
    Happy birthday to Aslam.

    Manzoorali Natha

  5. Yeah! definetly Dr. Aslam is a man carrying with big heart and always helpful others.
    Inspite of being a paralysed he never give up his efforts.
    Happy Birthday to yu Mamu . May God bless you (Aameen).
    Maxhar Natha

  6. I think we all should stand up and solute to our friend Dr. Aslam Azad on the struggle, great effort, fight and the character shown by this great man since he suffered from the tragic accident some 20 years ago. He has now become a symbol of never ending struggle, lesson learnt and role model of our society specially our younger generation. He may be physically handicapped but his thoughts, feelings are not handicapped, you will never see any sign of discomfort, sadness, dismay, sadness on his face. On his birthday we all pray for long long life of this optimistic person.

    Regards

    Aijaz

  7. Though I rarely met him, but the name "Dr. Aslam" still gives me the courage to fight in the difficult times of my life. We still remember his social work for our community. He serves / served as a volunteer regardless of any difference & fighting like a soldier.
    He was, is & will remain the aspiration for all the youngsters.
    Our best wishes for him on his birthday & we pray for his good health. May Allah give him long, happy & healthy life (Aameen)
    Regards
    Nadeem Khowaja
    Sharjah-U.A.E.

  8. In my opinion this is huge loss not he himself but we all suffered because of that unfortunate accident two decades ago, see how much he contributed for us all during his student life and even after his post accident life, it would have definitely made a huge difference if he could not suffer from this tragedy. We badly need the people like Dr. Aslam in the leadership role these days when we don't have the able and quality leadership in our ranks. I think people like Dr. Aslam are born very rarely, look at him despite being physically immobile he never allowed his thoughts to be stagnant, nature has given him such fantastic and optimistic personality so even in difficult circumstances he never gives up, he has huge potential in him and he is still contributing. He has set such wonderful standards which are difficult to be achieved and surpassed. We all pray for this great man for his better health and long long life on his birth day. Dr. Shahnaz Aijaz (Tarr Khowaja)

  9. People like Dr. Aslam, are a beacon of hope to society at large and especially to people like us who are bogged down in daily routine and desire more from the society as compared to what we have given. Dr. Aslam personifies people who defy odds, rejuvenate and emerge with more positive resolve once faced with hardship, and most importantly keep their sanity in face of adversity and personal calamity. Instead of cocooning themselves, their metamorphosis, after such tragedy, to somebody who still tries and continues to endeavour for change and is such a positive influence is a matter of pride for society.

    I pray to Allah for his health and my best wishes for him.

    Regards

  10. Happy Birthday…many many congratulations on this wonderful event of your life.
    You are the true picture of spirit and dedication, and can be a picture of hope for all those who have list their hopes in a life…

  11. Its really an hounour to write something about a great person who has shown resilience of mountains against a disease which can cripple any man within days! I salute his fortitude and wish him a very happy birthday.

  12. Many Many Happy Returns of the Day. May you have many more. Wishing all te happiness on your birthday. The good gesture as you are giving to this society are appreciable and the lesson we all should learn is that we should live with independent free mind without being encapsulated in the environment surrounding only us. May God bless you.
    Regards'
    Bhawani Shanker
    State Bank of Pakistan

  13. ڀَڪُلِيا ڀُوڻَنِ، ڌَڙَ کي گَڏِيو ڌُوڙِ ۾؛

    ڳالِھيُون، ڳَھِلي لوڪَ سين، پَڌرِ پَـئِي نه ڪَنِ؛

    ڪا مُلِ آھي تَن، مُون پِريان جي ڳالَھڙِي.

    Dear Dr. Azad,

    On behalf of every one of your friends, your well wishers, sisters, brothers who all have continuously prayed for your health since you suffered from this unfortunate episode some 20 years ago, we all salute on your heroism & intrepidness and attribute big accolade, gratitude and pay tribute to you on your 45th birth day anniversary and I can tell you that we have always remembered you in prayers, dreams and once again on this big occasion of your birthday as well as Eidul Fitir around we all pray Almighty & Heavens for your better health & long long life. (Ameen)

    دارُون ۽ ڪارُون، جان ڪِي ڪيا ويڄَ مون؛

    ٻُڪِي ڏيندا ٻاجَھ جِي، نِهاري ناڙُون؛

    جن جون سيڻَ لَهنِ سارُون، تن تان ڏُکندو ڏُور ٿئي.

    For me it is very difficult to write on the life of such a dynamic, multidimensional and towering personality; a friend, a colleague, a journalist, a social worker, a political activist, a doctor, literary man, a facilitator, an optimistic, an innovative person, a romantic young man, music lover, regular religious practitioner and very good human being.

  14. I would say that Dr. Aslam Azad in many ways is the true character of Latif Sain; a symbol of struggle, a strong commitment & dedication with the cause and the true romantic person and Latif has said for people like him that:
    جوڳِيءَ تي جَڙاءُ، نِسوروئِي نِينهَن جو؛
    پَتَنگَ جِئَن پيدا ٿِيو، سامِي سِجَّ وَڙاءُ؛
    آيو ڪاڪِ تَڙاءُ، ڪُنوارِنِ ڪَڪورِيو.

    Punhal – Tarr Khowaja

  15. Dear respected doctor,

    Good day,

    Happy birthday to you. May Almighty Allah bestow you happy life, Courage, Prosperity, Health and wealth forever. Ameen. Salam to u, your family and friends.

    With best regards,

    Muhammad Sibghat-ur Rahman s/o. MR.Muhammad Asghar Saghir

    ( ^ _ ^)

  16. Many Many happy returns of the day..

    Mr. Azad seems to be a role model for all those peoples who hesitate to do anything due to minor disabilities.
    One must learn from Mr. Azad. May allah bless him.

  17. Dr. Aslam is the role model for us all and we should visit him regularly to pay him tribute on such an exemplary character we have among us, Happy Birth day to Chaha Dr. Aslam. Mohsan Mumtaz (Tarr Khowaja)

  18. Dr. Aslam is the role model for us all and we should visit him regularly to pay him tribute on such an exemplary character we have among us, Happy Birth day to Chaha Dr. Aslam. Mohsan Mumtaz (Tarr Khowaja)

  19. My parents told me that only 2 days before this tragic accident, Chacha Aslam came to our home in Hyderabad and played with me for a while. I was only a few months old at that time. Now I am in my third year of Engineering. Twenty long years have passed and I cannot imagine how much Chacha Aslam has struggled in combating his illness. When I face any difficulty, I remember Chacha Aslam’s difficulties and his courage to fight them for the past 20 years. He is, without a doubt, a shining symbol of inspiration and encouragement. We love you Chacha Aslam, and a very Happy Birthday to you.

    Mustansir Khowaja, Department of Nanotechnology Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada.

  20. dear dr aijaz I just read u comments me this is rano my self and I stand salut him 10000 time I worked akuh

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