Chakwal to Noorpur Sethi

Chakwal to Noorpur Sethi

Professor Dr. Shariq Sohail Jaffar Khawaja Cardiologist. KEMCOLIANS- 1981 

I was going from Chakwal to Noorpur Sethi to see SSJK.I asked the CLEANDER (co-pilot of Super Awan bus service).How long the journey would take? He said…Just close your eyes and slowly say Full name of Doctor Sahib. I acted accordingly. When I opened my eyes after reciting the four volumes of the longest ever name, I reached Noorpur, yes it took just one hour.

My friendship with Shariq Sahib started due to a common tragedy. We both had Supplee in Pharmacology in 1978. This made us to have joint-study. Shariq was living in a BALA KHANA (چوبارہ)at Old Anarkali. We kept on taking tea and Rattalizing pharmacology. He had a mini–Immersion rod to make tea.

 On way to Dr. Shariq apartment old Anarkali there was a beautiful scene at night. There was a street light near GPO. It was partially covered by a tree branches. The light coming through tree branches created a very romantic scene.

پتوں سے چھن چھن کے روشنی آتی تھی ۔

Luckily my way to Masjid in Askari 14 has similar scenario and I daily relive the old medical college days memories.

Shariq Sahib had account in Bank of Bahawalpur branch situated near GPO. It was a new thing for me as l never heard name of this bank earlier. There was a mention on the chequebook. Bank of Bahawalpur, a subsidiary of the National Bank of Pakistan.

In 1983 l attended his marriage. Barat went to Bhone Mureed from Noorpur. There was an unforgettable Nikah khutba. The Molvi Sahib recited the verses about Divorce in the Khutba. It went unnoticed because the gathering was not aware of the meaning of the Arabic khutba.

There was a tradition of writing Sehra at wedding occasion. It was at the wedding of Shariq Sahib that I saw a well thought and nicely written sehra. This was once in lifetime occasion for me.

اردو شاعری میں وہ نظم جو شادی کے موقع پر رشتہ داروں اور دولھا دلہن کو مبارک باد اور دعائیں دینے کے لیے لکھی جائے۔اس میں دولہا کی آنے والی زندگی کے لیے، اچھی امیدوں کا اظہار کیا جاتا ہے اور دولہا کی خوبیاں بیان کی جاتی ہیں۔

  شہزادہ جواں بخت کا سہرا   

Mirza Jawan Bakht 1841-1884 was son of Bahadur Shah Zafar. At his wedding Mirza Ghalib composed a Sehra and at the end challenged

مرزا غالب نے چیلنج کیا

ہم سُخن فہم ہیں، غالبؔ کے طرفدار نہیں

دیکھیں، اس سہرے سے کہہ دے کوئی بڑھ کر سہرا

  ابراھیم ذوق نےاس کا جواب دیا

جس کو دعوی ہو سخن کا یہ سُنا دے اس کو

دیکھ اس طرح سے کہتے ہیں سخنور سہرا

He visited me at Military college Sarai Alamgir in 1983. At that time his sister was likely attending some course at Jhelum.

In 1988 l had lunch with him at JPMC doctor hostel. He was doing Dip Card there.

In 1994 he met me at CMH RAWALPINDI. I took him to my house at Dhoke Farman / Dhoke Khabba on motorcycle. The path was a zigzag maze. As we reached home, he commented…..How do you remember this tricky way home.

In late 2010s a professor Sahib shared his apprehension with me. He said the speed at which new medical colleges are coming up l fear…

کوئی ہمیں پکڑ کر پرنسپل نہ بنا دے

His fear proved true and one day I learned that SSJK became Principal of Sahara Medical College Narowal.