Hundreds of people turned up for health check up at a free medical camp organized by the Doctors' Wing of the Pakistan Association in Dubai on Friday.

Free Medical Camp

More than 20 Pakistani doctors working in various leading hospitals and medical centres conducted the camp. The services offered at the free medical camp included, but were not limited to, blood pressure screening, sugar screening, basic dental screening as well as general consultancies in various areas of medical specialty including Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Orthopedics.

The camp was first of its kind in UAE for the Pakistani commune. PAD employees and the volunteer doctors are enthusiastically looking forward to the next medical camp expected to be in March. The camp served as a launching pad for ongoing similar camps to be held on regular intervals

"We have received an overwhelming response to our camp where hundreds of people mainly women and children, who are unable to afford expensive treatment, had their check up done," said Riaz Farooq, president of the Pakistani Association Dubai. The event was coordinated by Dr Ziaul Hasan, president of the Doctors' Wing, Dr Zarqa Taimur, vice president, Dr Zulfiqar Ali, general secretary and Dr. Shafqat Mehmood.

A personal view of a walk-in Pakistani

Oath Taking Cermony at PAD

Though I passed through Dubai at least twice every year, but it was only this time that I broke my journey. The first surprise was the new terminal of Emirates which is as large as one could think. Once outside the terminal it was a new city with skyscrapers everywhere, big malls, broad metal roadways and construction going on as far as you could see.

On reviewing my old contacts I was told that Pakistan Association Dubai had its two-yearly elections recently and the new elected body will take oath during my sojourn in Dubai. The Khaleej Time, the vibrant newspaper of Dubai, also had reported about the election and the new body which was to take its oath of office soon.

Dubai weather gave me pleasant surprise; it started raining every day after the night fall bringing the mercury down and for the expatriates from the UK it was homecoming.

Curious to see how the Pakistan Association Dubai has grown these years I asked my nephew to drop me Friday evening as scheduled. The first thing I did when I arrived there was to join the Isha prayer and then brief introduction with some of those present, some old and mostly new. But the warmth was the same that is common among Pakistanis wherever and whenever they meet each other.

There was some wait for the Chief Guest, the Pakistani Ambassador to UAE, H.E. Khurshid Ahmed Junejo, and once he arrived, the stage started to set in the lawns of the association which will soon turn into an auditorium. The guests made themselves comfortable on the chairs with round tables set for dinner that was an item already set after the ceremony.

It was a big gathering of men and women; Pakistanis of all variations and of all vocations and from the four corners of the Islamic Republic. The proceeding as per the Islamic norm with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and then after a few introductory speeches the oath taking took place which was done with grace and humility. The most striking feature of the new panel which will run Pakistani Association was that it was elected in a very transparent election under the guidance and supervision of the Pakistani Consulate. The victors and the losers were all there and vowed to work in unison and under the democratic principles that necessitate that winners and losers both become one after the election is over. The other new feature was the election of a lady for the post of Education Secretary. The proceedings were in full bloom when the weather started to change, drops of rain prompted the speakers to shorten their speeches and while the newly elected President Mr. Riaz Farooq Sahi was speaking it started to pour with gusty winds. The guests and the hosts had no option but to take shelter under small trees, verandas, the office rooms, the hall and whatever shelter there was. The ladies were the first to be given the shelter from the rain. The gusty wind accompanied by rain lasted for about an hour and sumptuous dinner was affected, making it a camp-style standing dinner with heavenly waters dropping on the plate. Once the rain and the winds over the function continued with all the participants standing, holding their chairs – in a way it was a standing ovation to the new office bearers who were already welcomed by the heavenly rains. It augers well with such occasions when a new team starts its journey with promise for a new future for the Pakistani Association – bright, fruitful and befitting for the good cause of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its overseas contributors to its growth and prosperity.

Syed Faiyazuddin Ahmad
An overseas Pakistani

Youth Wing

After the formation of YCP (Youth Club of Pakistan) and the joining of successful members, YCP (Youth Club of Pakistan) now proudly announces that the website has been launched. Apart from that there will be physical exercise twice a week on Monday and Thursday in which all kinds of sports activities will take place.

There will also be a library of books section from where you can get any information and knowledge that you are looking for with a good environment where you can sit and read relaxingly. To be a member of this fascinating and growing youth organization kindly go to our website at www.ycpdubai.com or email us at ycpdubai@yahoogroups.com.So what are you waiting for be a member right now and enjoy the fun of life!

The noble life of Prophet (PBUH) was the topic of address. Hundreds of Pakistani men and women attended the heart-warming and soul-searching lecture. In pin-drop silence, the honorable speaker explored a variety of facets of the Apostle of Allah with many examples. He elaborated how the words and actions of our beloved Prophet changed the lives of the people of barren land. He quoted a number of Ahadith and elaborated their impact upon the society.

Mr. Jan discussed in detail moral values of Pre-Islamic societies based on man-made rules and their detrimental affect on humanity. With innumerable examples from the history he explained how mankind passed through a long era of darkness and how the glorious teachings of Islam preached and practiced by our ultimate role model, The Holy Prophet, transformed the society and provided a solid basis for a well-balanced system.
The audience was very much impressed by the speaker who was not just narrating stories from the life of a great man, he was striking the strings of each heart that moistened the eyes. He influenced the thinking of many of audience to review their lives once again.
It was a beautiful ending of the last tenure of PAD, a gift by the religious committee. Muhammad Riaz Farooq Sahi, the President of PAD was the concluding speaker of the event who thanked the audience for making the evening spiritual and sensational.