Noted Cardiac Surgeon and head of Cardiology department at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Prof Dr. Shahid Nawaz Malik breathed his last on Friday at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi- Pakistan. Malik was shot and critically injured on February 14 by two unknown assailants. Malik was targeted when he came out of the private ward and was walking towards his vehicle at about 3:30 pm. PIMS sources said, Malik received a bullet at the back of his head called posterior fossa. Though, he was operated upon, the damage caused by the bullet was irreparable. Earlier Malik had worked at King Khalid Hospital in Riyadh from 1988-1996 before he served as a Chief Cardiologist in King Faisal Specialists Hospital from 1998 till 2007 after which he had left for Pakistan on final exit. During his stint in the Kingdom, he remained socially very active. Meanwhile this sad news was received with indignation and there has been an outrage among the expat Pakistani community throughout Saudi Arabia at this callous murder of such an iconic figure who spent all his life in the service of people.
On Friday evening there was a wedding reception for the son of Shamshad Siddiqui – a noted businessman in Riyadh which turned very gloomy when this sad news was received. Saudi Gazette took the opportunity to take the opinion of some of the attendees who were in close association with Malik. Deputy Head of the Mission at Pakistan Embassy Khayyam Akbar was visibly very upset at this sad news. “I knew him well and found him to be a very kind person committed to his profession. His death is a great loss to the nation. Pakistan has lost a proud son, “Khayyam said. Shamshad mentioned that he knew Malik for a very long time. “His untimely death has devastated me personally. I pray for his soul to rest in peace and also pray so he is awarded with an exalted place in Jannah with the choicest of bounties, “Shamshad added. Asghar Qureshi – a noted businessman – mentioned that his association with Malik was spanned over decades. “I was his patient as well and when I first learnt about this sad news I was not able to control my emotions and cried for hours, “Qureshi remarked.
Choudhry Faryad said that he was like a brother to him. “I am saddened to see that such an iconic person is so callously killed. I have no words to express my grief, “Choudhry added. Dr. Asad Roomi – a noted Cardiologist at Military Hospital in Riyadh – showed his grave concern at targeting doctors in Pakistan. “As for Malik, I can only say that we have lost a very capable Cardiologist. My prayers go out for him, “Dr. Roomi mentioned. Mailk Kausar - a noted personality in Riyadh - mentioned that Malik was like a brother to him. “For me it is like losing a close family member, “Kausar added. Dr. Mansour and Dr Erum said that an icon from the doctor’s fraternity was lost. “We recall his words when he had said so way back in 2001, that he would lead his life and practice his art with virtue and honor and that us physicians while providing treatment to the sick, must consider their well-being to be of greater importance than their ability to compensate our services, the couple added. Ashiq Hussain – General Secretary of Pakistan Writers Club – mentioned that he was very saddened to learn about the sad demise of Malik. “I knew him since he was elected the first Chairman of the Governing Board of Pakistan International School in Riyadh, “Ashiq said. Ghulam Safder, Javed Akhter and Waqar Wamiq – all of them noted figures in Riyadh – also expressed their profound grief at this sad news. Abdul Karim Khan, Malik Faqeer, Sher Afzal, Riaz Rathore, Fayyaz Ali Khan, Rana Khalid, Waseem Sajid, and Qazi Ishaq Memon – all activists of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) – were visibly were sad. “We lost a patriotic Pakistani, a capable Cardiologist who served selflessly and above a friend of the poor. We recall the days when he used to attend our meetings and proudly used to mention that he was a Bhuttoist, “all of them echoed in one voice.