Father of martyred official vows to render more sacrifices for Pakistan

PESHAWAR: With eyes full of tears, voice faltering and choked up, Muhammad Hakeem Said Khan, father of martyred Political Tehsildar Syed Fawad Ali, vowed to sacrifice his two other sons whenever the need arose for the country.

Fawad Ali and four Levies personnel were martyred when hit by a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) while coming back after defusing an IED in Garigal area in the Mamond tehsil in Bajaur Agency on Sunday.

He was laid to rest in his village Sheikh Killay, Katlang Road in Mardan. His Namaz-e-Janaza was attended by thousands of people from the surrounding villages, officials and friends where moving scenes were witnessed.

Kashif Ali Syed, Fawad’s younger brother, while talking to this correspondent, said of his martyred brother: “He was brilliant.

Fawad was born on January 6, 1987 and was four years older than me, but he was a friend of mine.” He added that Fawad received his primary education in the local primary school and then went to the local high school from where he passed his matriculation examination with flying colours.

Fawad did his FSc in first division at the Postgraduate College Mardan. He also qualified the entry test yp secure admission to the medical college, but convinced his family that he wanted to join civil services.

He sought admission to the Islamia College Peshawar and topped the college in Bachelor of Arts (BA) examination. Afterwards, he joined the Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad where he did his master’s in International Relations (IR) and achieved a gold medal.

Belonging to the Mohmand tribe, Fawad was among the 17 tehisldars who got through the Provincial Public Service Commission examination in 2016 out of the thousands of candidates.

After completing his on-the-job training, he was posted as Political Tehsildar in Bajaur Agency on May 28. He got married on February 5 this year and took her and his mother along with his brother Kashif Ali Syed to Bajaur to live with him.

One of Fawad’s cousins informed that his other cousin, lawyer Syed Akbar Shah, was also killed on September 2, 2016 in a suicide attack on the Mardan courts. Fawad was the second family member who became victim of terrorism.

“My brother never ever feared death. Family members tried to tell him that Bajaur was volatile, but Fawad used to reply that death will come on its time so he should fulfil his duty without any fear.

Apparently composed but in a suppressed voice, Fawad’s father Hakeem Said, a lawyer by profession, said: “My son was a brave officer who discharged his duties with gallantry.”“He sacrificed his life for the country. And why he shouldn’t do it. It is our motherland after all. We have to defend and protect it,” he remarked.

“I am proud of his martyrdom. He died fighting the spectre of terror. I have two more sons and I will not hesitate to sacrifice them if my homeland needs their blood,” Hakeem Said added.

Fawad’s colleagues at the Civil Secretariat also mourned his death.Fahad Ikram Qazi, coordinator Provincial Civil Service (PCS) and Provincial Management Service (PMS) Officers Association, also condoled with the bereaved family.

He said Fawad was an outstanding officer and they all prayed for his departed soul.“He deserved honour and respect, but what has been done to him has now become our way of honouring our young scholarly officers,” Fahad said.