83-year-old retired senior cop finds a new purpose in life

Dil Jan Foundation provides healthcare, social services in Lakki Marwat

PESHAWAR: Despite his old age, Dil Jan Khan has found a new purpose in life after serving on high positions in the service of the government of Pakistan. “I feel happy doing social work. It is good for one’s health,” he remarked while talking to The News.

The 83-year old retired cop and bureaucrat set up the Dil Jan Foundation in 2006 to provide healthcare and education to the needy people. It aims at improving the quality of life in under-developed areas of his native Lakki Marwat district.

Dil Jan Khan, who is from the Police Service of Pakistan, retired as federal secretary to the government after earlier serving as Inspector General of Police. He also served as senior vice-president of the International Narcotics Control Board and honorary advisor to the ministry of interior.

He didn’t enter politics even though his brother Mashal Khan had been Member of Provincial Assembly. Instead he opted for philanthropy and charity work.

The first thing Dil Jan Khan did was to donate land in Begukhel village in Lakki Marwat to build a Basic Health Unit. The construction cost almost Rs3.5 million. More than 50,000 patients have been examined and treated at the unit to-date. “Initially, our doctor and other staff used to see patients once in a week, but due to the demand by residents of eight adjoining villages the medical check-up facility was extended to two, then three and even four days a week. We were getting more patients than the government-run Rural Health Centre and Basic Health Unit as these were in a poor condition,” Dil Jan Khan explained.

He said most patients, almost 70 percent, were females. “You know women in our conservative society don’t get the required treatment due to cultural constraints. Older women formed the bulk of our patients,” he pointed out.