English & Urdu Text : Presentation : Khalid Iqbal Shoaib Sobani
Akbar s house located at Gelani Road Quetta has been a centre of attraction for Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Baluchistan. Stalwarts like Adeeb Rizvi, Khwaja Muin, Tipu Sultan, Badar Siddiqui et.al assembled here on many occasions. It was the grand venue for so many gatherings and campaigns of PMA. Akbar got his early education from St. Francis Grammar School in Quetta. Intermediate setting was Public School Hyderabad before Joining the Dow Batch of 79 on the reserved seats for Baluchistan.
Allah Dad Luni, Saifullah Jogezai, Akhtar Mandokhail was the company in Dow and the fast paced fanciful days at Hostel No.1 were full of stir and swirl. Elections of Dow union were the memorable days for Akbar where he recalls the pictures of many icons of today like Salman Fareedi, Nasim Sheikhani, Misbahul Aziz, Tariq Shakoor making scintillating speeches and the ear splitting shout of the backdrop slogans onwards to victory NSF, NSF, Jamiat Jamiat, YMO YMO kahan ho kahan ho! Akbar sometimes wonders where have gone those glittering times.
The days of Dow were full of mirthful anecdotes which Akbar has loved to tell his children like a bedtime remembrance. Ilahie Buksh (IB) and Akbar follow each other in oral exams calls. IB moved into Baba Muzaffar's room for Pathology viva. Baba was away for a while and IB sat on this chair misunderstanding that this was meant for the candidate. On return Baba lost his temper on witnessing the scenario. He grumbled in his Hyderabadi accent This seat was not earned overnight. I had to burn midnight oil for decades to sit here. How many cigarettes have you lit since morning? O dear! Poor IB felt numbed as if there is no blood in his circulation.
Akbar disclosed the myths linked to the trams plying on Bunder Road in the midseventies. It confused many youthful and naive students from Baluchistan that one can reach Hyderabad by the service. Indeed those were the days!
Akbar did his house job with Fazal Ellahie Sahab and the then Secretary Health cum head of medicine Prof Sualeh Memon. Then a two years stint with Prof Sharif Chaudhry in Cardiology was a landmark. This was a defining moment about the future. Akbar left for England and the three years training not only sharpened the practical skills but also brought academic laurels in terms of Diplomas in Chest Medicine and the second in Cardiology from the University of London. Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital in Quetta accommodated him for time to serve on return.
The professional journey began when he formally joined Sandeman Provincial Hospital in the Department of Cardiology. Decades of services here raised him to the top slot Cardiologist along with the renowned Munaaf Tareen. 2012 saw Akbar retiring from the coveted position. He then joined the historical Christian Hospital Mission Road in Quetta as consultant Cardiologist as a continuation.
Mrs. Aziza Akbar currently serves in the Neurosurgical unit of Civil Hospital Quetta, a challenging position considering the long-drawn-out terror stricken climate of the province. Afrasiab has completed medical education. Aftab and Khyber are in the process of medical graduation. Sana is doing BBA from Baluchistan University.
Akbar has a few friends to share the good and hard times. Dr. Abdul Maalik, the current Chief Minister of Baluchistan provides company for the hard to come by leisure s. Old age may have its limitations and challenges, but in spite of them, our latter years can be some of the most rewarding and fulfilling of our lives. Akbar finds these golden words of Billy Graham applicable exactly to his own life in letter and spirit.
PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 28 TH FEB 2015 Akbar Khan! it is very pleasing to know your achievements and hope you have kept the ideological thrive intact. Regards Wahid Thanks, Shoaib and Khalid Akbar Khan congratulations! It was nice to read about your accomplishments. Thanks for sharing pictures of your family. It would be fun to interact with you on this forum. Drop a line or two if you can. All the best. Bashir Dear Shoaib, Thank you for reinventing Akbar Khan. We became very close and became friends when I came to UK for PLAB, and he was doing Diploma in Thoracic and cardiovascular medicine, and we were staying in Pakistan hostel in Earl's Court, London. I had many very pleasant memories of him from those days. It was heartening to know about his successes in his career and as a family man. Please convey my heartfelt congratulations to him and if possible have his contact details as I would love to re establish and renew our friendship. Regards, Ahmad SAYEED