It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that we mourn the passing away of our former Director, Facilities Management, Hakim Ali Khan on Sunday evening, April 22 at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. He was readied for burial on Monday morning in Karachi and his body transported by air to Islamabad and then en route to Gilgit on the main Karakoram Highway. He was buried in Gilgit on Tuesday, April 24.
Hakim Sahab, as he was called by all, joined AKU in January 1980 when hardly a building existed on our 84-acre site. In a career spanning 37 years till his retirement in 2017, Mr Khan was one of the key figures involved in its expansion to a 700-bed hospital that delivers exemplary care, a Faculty of Health Sciences whose two arms – The School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Medical College – have produced exceptional talent over the years, as well as the Institute for Educational Development and Examination Board which have achieved excellence in their own areas.
The physical plant, without which no institution can run, is one of the many achievements that are a part of Hakim Sahab’s legacy. Hakim Sahab played a major role in the umpteen Utility Master Plans, the power plant, the water and electricity connections, the grid station and in the over 20 buildings that were commissioned since the first inauguration in November 1985. We salute this great stalwart who did not say much but always “did his job” to the best of his ability.
Hakim Sahab was an even-tempered man and always in touch with those around him. He paid attention and he was empathetic. He was always diligent and set a remarkable example of professionalism and loyalty to the institution. From his birthplace in Aliabad, Hunza, (Shangri-La, a place thought to be among the remotest on the planet), he grew to became a leader in the field of engineering. He was devoted to quality and to purposeful detail. He loved to use technology to build systems to monitor the performance of his areas of responsibility, but he was always attentive to those who worked for and with him. He was a leader in the best sense of the word.
Due to his innovations, for several years in a row, AKU received the top energy-saving award among all large organizations in Pakistan. His teams in engineering, biomedical, housekeeping, grounds, transport and others always strived to go above and beyond the organization’s targets. When AKU became responsible for FMIC in 2006, he joined in that endeavour with enthusiasm and provided willing and able support.
We, at the University, can only thank this stalwart for his service. He played a vital role in building an institution with a lasting impact. May God bless him with a high place in Heaven. Our prayers are with him and his family and we, along with all members of the AKU community, will remember him for a long, long time to come for his good humor and thoughtfulness about many things, and for the iron resolve of never failing to deliver on anything. We will all miss him!
His legacy is aptly captured by this quote from Laurence Binyon:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.”
Nadeem Mustafa Khan, Senior Adviser, Office of the Vice-President