Life partner of my first friend from Pakistan is no more
As I opened the Facebook page of Aisha Gazdar to share
Neela Bhagwat’ s classical rendition of Faiz poem, “Bol”
As her page slowly opened, I wondered why
She had removed her Profile Pic
and then
I felt a bolt from blue , I was numb, with a blank stare
The news stared at me
Rights activist Hassam Qadir no more amongst us, He was just 44
My Eyes closed, fervently wishing this to be a bad dream.
I went to a Flashback
My friendship with Pakistan began with Aisha in 2000
My Myths about Pakistan started crumbling ,
thanks to our friendship ,
which happened as we met at a neutral ground in London
We both were Chevening Scholars studying Human Rights
Our friendship beyond borders ripened
She came to India to make a film on women rights and CEDAW
I was her coordinator in India and loved every bit of it
Hassam also came with her in 2005,
My first reaction was WOW
This is a Marc Zuber look- alike from Pakistan
Kumbh ke bichade bhai ke samaan
His first morning in Mumbai,
This is what we see
He is standing in the Kitchen making his own Tea
Broad shoulders and a broader smile
Behind the Robust Masculine exterior
Lay a Gender Sensitive Man,within
A human rights activist and Lawyer
Hassam
was a Passionate Fighter
Aisha , the most soft spoken person I have evermet
is a carnation of ‘ Tameez and Tehzeeb.”
Hassam was a True Punjabi from Lahore in every sense of word
His jokes and crackling laughter, still echoes
He forgot his Black Sandals
Every time I talked with Aisha and him
We laughed and said
‘Tuhade chittar taan aithe hi reg gaye, ki kariye “
( Your sandals are still here, what to do ? )
He once jokingly said- Sambhal ke rakhna Amitabh Bachchan na lae jaye !!
( Please take care Amitabh Bachchan does not take them !!)
Left behind Memories , Jokes, Vaccum
and yes
A pair of large sandals
sitting in a drawer
with hopeless anticipation ……
A pair of large sandals
befitting a towering personality
Remains…………………………………………………………waiting forever
kracktivist 
Jul 02, 2013 @ 11:31:22
very beautifully put kamayani…
Jul 03, 2013 @ 08:57:16
RIP Hassam…a befitting tribute indeed for a gentleman
Jul 03, 2013 @ 10:19:03
Touching. Soul-stirring. Befitting.
Jul 03, 2013 @ 15:02:19
mAy eW rESt iN pEaCe . . . amEEn 😦
Aug 18, 2013 @ 13:21:56
To,
The Editor,
Discrimination with me in Dubai (A serious issue for Human rights Association)
UAE Withhold my original medical reports of suspected tuberculosis.
Brutal law of deportation on an assumption based T.B scar in United Arab Emirates.
Respected Sir,
Let me introduce myself. My name is CHARANJEET SINGH, an Indian national. Former resident and an Ex-Banker in Dubai..Year 2003 to 2006 I was working in India in a multi national bank. And since April 2006 to October 2011 working in U.A.E without any issue in my health..
3rd March 2013, I came back to Dubai and joined a new job in a law firm in D.I.F.C. (Dubai International Financial Centre), On 4th March 2013, i appeared for medical test at D.I.F.C.
18 days later i.e. on 22nd March 2013 at Al Muhaisna medical centre that comes under D.H.A (Dubai Health Authority) suspected that i have old T.B and I was deported immediately. Countless others are getting deported just due to a scar in their lungs.
Neither I, while working and staying in my home country or Dubai, nor my parents had any kind of T.B infection in their lifetime.
To prove myself I have already done skin test (Mantoux) twice and both times it was Negative.
First time at Dubai when i noticed nurse writing on my medical card as negative, U.A.E did not issue me any report so that I can prove you my test reports nor they give it to anyone from any country and second test at A.I.I.M.S.
I went to A.I.I.M.S (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) hospital at New Delhi and done all my checkups i.e. Skin test (Mantoux), Chest x-ray, Blood test, 3 times Sputum test and a Chest C.T Scan too on special advise by senior doctor to have a close look at the scar.
D.H.A does guess work on T.B on the basis of mere x.ray film. Telling you the fact as it is.
Based on my test reports, A.I.I.M.S issued me the Certificate stating that I do not have any active T.B. Senior doctors (A.I.I.M.S) asked me why did they deported you when there is no sign of T.B in our body??
I really felt humiliation from U.A.E and felt depressed about this brutal and outdated law of deporting the patients just like a prisoner after he completes his punishment. I never expected this kind of behavior from U.A.E as happened with me.
D.H.A was not ready to give me anything about my sickness in written. Why it was concealed from me??? What does this reflect?
Present circumstances reminds me the malpractices of untouchability existed five decades ago, where in an individual was deliberately excluded from social interaction permanently.
If U.A.E health authorities are really scared from heart to help these patients, at least they should not treat them like prisoners, deporting them back to their home country with permanent ban to enter U.A.E just because of a small suspected scar.
This is the beginning of discrimination by gulf countries with expatriates excluding Arabs from gulf regions and i am sure the situation is going to be worse very soon if changes are not brought to their laws. I believe and I know it is discrimination.
How about D.H.A staff? Will be they be deported permanently if they are infected with Active or Old T.B??
http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/health/deportation-laws-reform-lies-dormant clearly mentions this is absolute discrimination and it is major issue of Human rights.
Assuming the current scenario in the future, i will never suggest 53% Indians of UAE’s total population to work and visit U.A.E whether they provide double pay of what your are getting in your home country.
Finally, they will be the culprit if they still go and get deported in case they are sick with any kind of scar in their chest in the mid of their growing career just and just because of U.A.E’s adamant laws.
These harmless scars may come on anyone’s body, will leave a huge impact on their career just and just because of U.A.E outdated laws. Today it’s my turn; tomorrow could be the ignoring readers from different countries.
I have lost a lot because of their law, I wish from my core – no one should face the same in their life without any reason.
I request U.A.E to remove sickness from U.A.E instead of removing the sick.
“IT IS NOT JUSTICE IF IT IS NOT EQUAL”
Your support will be highly appreciated to write something for this moral cause.
(Charanjeet Singh)
Email: singh.charanjeet@rocketmail.com
Mob: +91 9560728263
New Delhi [India]