English & Urdu Text : Khalid IqbalPresentation : Shoaib Sobani

He came to join the batch of ‘79 from DJ College. Neatly clad in a white shirt andblack trouser, a hair style with poise, he was mostly calm and wide awake.Farooq would smile only under duress of need. His command over spoken andwritten English was a living example of brilliance and distinction. He carriedin him an instinctive English debater. Representing Dow in the PAFdeclamation contest in Risalpur was an event that made him an idol overnight.Farooq brought laurels to the Alma Mater by winning the contest with topposition solely by linguistic fireworks.

While in those times it apparently looked that Farooq had a superiorityobsession, and showed arrogance and chauvinism against the so called “Urdumedium class”. This was a gross misunderstanding. He was outspoken and loved tolisten to any one who talked sense. He has lived within the surround of beaurocraticcum feudal environment in Quetta and Sindh when his father was a vice chancellor ofSindh University for a while.

He developed a liking for Sindhi classic literature and read it with fondness. In theDow days many people came close to him. Hafiz Idrees, Saleem Ilyas and TariqVakani, to name a few. With a closer look they were mystified to witness the insightand the quality of intellect in his persona. Farooq became very friendly to SalmanBaghia. He loved to sit with him in a social Mela organized by YMO and helped himto become a palmist. He convinced the late Baghia that he had all the appeal andallure to project himself as an astrologer rather than a doctor.

Hafiz Idrees and Arjumand Faisal brought him within the fold of YMO, published avery sophisticated journal with Farooq as an Editor. He was made to contest theelection of the Student’s Union for the coveted post of Magazine Secretary. Thisforced Farooq to display more smiles, humbleness and meeting people in hundreds,very contrary to his natural personality traits. It was a treat to listen to his blazingspeeches during the projection meetings of YMO. The spontaneity, selection of thewords and his rendering in an innovative style was an extravagance for scholarlyminds. Indeed those were the days. Unfortunately and ironically Farooq lost theelections because that was the epoch of ideology based politics to put in the groundany class of merit.

Farooq wrote many film reviews in the English press and his knowledge on thesubject was very superior and fine. One day he brought a print of an “art” film inthe hostel and screened it properly for a selected audience. It was a day of learningand education for the viewers as when the film ended, they all became wise andexperienced to know the artistic value of film making and at the same timecorrected their bizarre notions.

Farooq joined the Unit of Psychiatry on graduation as house officer. Late Prof ZaheerKhan was Incharge of the Unit. Farooq disappeared from the scene once the housejob was over. It was known that he has started a psychiatry based practice somewherein the Clifton. Another occupation in which he has remained involved iscarrier counseling for high school students and teaching history. He was affiliatedto a renowned Nixor College in Karachi. A recent look at Farooq tells that he hasnot changed drastically. Farooq is now totally dedicated to the care of his agedand ailing parents. The mother has died recently and the father is also not keepingwell. Sometimes Kahlil Jibran very correctly gives word to the feelings.

In the stillness of night Wisdom came and stood by my bed. She gazed upon melike a tender mother and wiped away my tears, and said: ‘I have heard the cry ofyour spirit and I have come to comfort it. Open your heart to me and I shall fill itwith light. Ask of me and I shall show you the way of truth.

PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 01TH SEP 2012

KHALIDyou are hundred percent rightfarooq is like what you have written in your maila think tank and a person with great insight in to matters and issues related to history and current affairsi remember that one day i went to see him at YMCA where he used to live in early college days. i spend a great

time with him and i learn about books he was reading at that timehe was a very broad minded son of the soil in compare to others who were not able to under stand the political dilemmas of our country, history makes you perfect when you analyze the present situation.learning from the history is the most difficult thing hope he is still the same. i never missed his debate in competition and i was very impressed with his flow of english and historical references he used to give. i regret that i did not spend lot of time with him during college days . its pity that we don't meet in karachiTHANKS SHOAIB FOR YOUR WRITING ABOUT ONE OF OUR GREAT CLASS FELLOWShershah

The write-up on Farooq Shaikh looked unusual and rather upsetting. Shoaib usually ends the profile on an optimistic note. Kahlil Jibran’s citation at the end carries feelings of pathos and gloominess. It seems that Farooqis spending thorny times. He is mentally decrepit and perhaps very desperately lonely in these times. It is commendable that Shoaib has devised his own ways of conveying pungent facts in a sugar-coated manner. He has been maintaining a decorum and civility of the highest order in the profiles and the self –imposed censor codes have worked very well. Farook Shaikh, as I have known him a little was a think tank of his times. Bubbling with knowledge, wisdom and clairvoyance, he was an absolutely free and unadulterated soul. But , was a square peg in a round hole. Such persons are usually unbending .They prefer to leave unsung than to submitting themselves to the mercy of circumstances. I wish somebody search Farooq Shaikh from the oblivion and console him in a becoming way, commensurate for his persona.Khalid Iqbal

PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 01TH SEP 2012

Dear Khalid,I echoed your sentiments earlier in not so eloquent way. May be you should write an apropos addendum to it.

The whole idea of responding to POW is just that. It is impossible to know everybody in depth in a class of 400. Unfortunately, none of us contribute much. I am surprised it went along this far, kudos to Shoaib.Bashir

Farooq sheikhOur ownTurbo mouthed, high octane intellect, wrapped in figure concealing, ever downward travelling black trousers and baggy white shirt, with penetrating eyes and (even before the days of cosmetic dentistry) starry teethed smile!That is how I remember you Farooq with great admiration and respect. This batch certainly did produce some gems. Great to hear about you and your family. Wish you the very best FarooqMunir

Shoaib:Thanks for posting. I admire your dedication to the cause despite thetravelling and the singing you've managed to keep this weekly feature going.Many congratulations on being the personality of the week. Please accept my condolences on the passing away of your mother. I hope that your father is on his way to recovery. All the best.Hasan