Daily Times

February will always remain the saddest month of my life as a reminder of the loss of some of my dearest people who contributed immensely to my life. One of them was my uncle Najeeb Ali, who raised me and enabled me to face challenges. He died in a terrorist attack in February 2014. Second, Senator Abdul Rahman Malik, my mentor and a kind boss, always made me feel important and from whom I learned a lot. I spent the prime of my youth with the country’s long-serving Interior Minister, Member of Parliament and senior investigator, late Senator Abdul Rahman Malik, starting from 2014 till his last breath this day in 2022. This constitutes the golden period of my life where I benefitted immensely from his guidance. During these years of association, we saw many ups and downs together, faced challenges, overcame obstacles and endured hardships where I learned how to persevere in difficult situations and how to make the impossible, possible.

I can safely claim that there was no one like him-visionary, far-sighted, kind, caring, loving, brave and humanitarian and at times, an innocent soul with an endearing attitude. A man who was a university in himself, who rose to the top through sheer hard work and made his mark in all walks of life. He was an able lawyer fighting his own cases in the country’s apex court and dictating his cases on the basis of his knowledge of history and law. He was a bright politician, an outspoken debater in Parliament, a brilliant administrator and conciliator as the Interior Minister, and the best investigator in the country digging into white-collar cases with unwavering bravery. His public persona was that of a sympathetic person who always shared the sufferings of others. The Government of Pakistan conferred on him the prestigious civil award for his bravery as FIA senior officer.

In this one year of political uncertainty and deadlock, the absence of his wisdom, vision and reconciliation has been felt many times.

He observed a very simple life and wore a plain, grey-coloured suit, and white shirt with numerous coloured ties, always avoiding extravagant. I never found him eating lavishly or indulging in luxury. I never found him rude to his servants nor did he exchange harsh words with anyone. He always forgave others for their mistakes and never retaliated against those who mocked, accused and hurt him. He was kind even to those who were unkind to him, and he had a very tender heart, and always said, “I am grateful to those who envied me because their enmity strengthened me and forced me to work harder to fight them in ways they did not know.” He once said that “Behind my success are my opponents.” He always advised not to waste one’s precious time and energy in harming one’s enemies but leave them far behind and work on one’s personality so that one appears bigger than them and that is the victory over enemies. If any political statements were ever made against him, he used to say, “Don’t respond. As if they are getting political benefits by accusing and attacking me, so let them do it, but simply say that all the allegations are baseless and frivolous.”

He was very generous and always stood by his colleagues, friends and staff and helped them through difficult times. His death is an irreparable loss not only to his family but to all who were in any way associated with him.

Late Rehman Malik did the politics of opposition but never hurt anyone with his words by staying within the bounds of decency, norms and ethics. He was a man of integrity and unique qualities and I found him forgiving rather than vengeful. I never found him afraid of any danger. He always dared to openly condemn every act of terrorism and call the Taliban Zalman. From Khyber to Karachi, from Gilgit-Baltistan to Parachinar, whenever any terrorist incident occurred, he reached the scene and condemned it openly rather than in obscure words. He left for Parachinar in a helicopter to mourn the loss of more than 150 people in a suicide attack though due to the potential threat of ground attack, he was not allowed to land. He even avoided bullet-proof and bomb-proof vehicles by saying that “the night in the grave cannot be in the bed and vice versa.” Immediately after the Army Public School tragedy, putting aside all threats to his life and fears of an attack, he went to Peshawar to meet the families of the victims and held a press conference at the scene in which he strongly condemned the Taliban. He could not remain silent on any kind of barbarism and raised his voice against genocide and crimes against the humanity of Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine and Myanmar. He wrote letters to the United Nations and international organizations about the plight and oppression in Kashmir, Palestine and anywhere else in the world. He was a great defender of human rights; raising his voice for religious minorities in the country and always attending Christmas celebrations in small churches in Islamabad encouraging religious minorities to speak for their rights. As Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, he took notice of many serious issues and heinous acts of atrocities bringing justice to the victims.

He was a university in himself and had in his chest many historical events to which he was a witness. He would become sad when he recalled the time he had spent with Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the late General Nasirullah Babar. On our way back from Peshawar, we would buy chappal kebabs and naan from a famous hotel. In the car, he would roll up like a wrap and offer one to me and another to his very close aide Imran Ali (who served him for the longest time in the capacity of Private Secretary in the Senate of Pakistan) saying, “Mohatrama used to make the rolls offering to us.”

On reaching the office every morning, he would ask about the daily routine. If there were none, I would say, “Sir, there is no activity so today we are free.” He would always reply, “Mohatrama used to say to create an activity if there is none.”

I have never met in my life a person as devoted as him, brave as him, loyal as him, intelligent and scholarly as him, humble and down to earth as him, decent, kind and sophisticated as him. He was very caring, quick to note our sadness from the look on our faces.

A year has passed and in this one year of political uncertainty and deadlock, his absence has been felt many times as he always ended a political deadlock in the country through his wisdom, vision and reconciliatory role. He would proactively participate in all the sit-ins in the capital in the past and because of his conciliatory character, the country never saw a political deadlock like it is experiencing now. He helped many politicians during their difficult times and relieved them from many hardships. He was very fond of writing and contributed thousands of articles to many national and international newspapers and magazines. He authored five books including “Modi’s War Doctrine,” “Bleeding Kashmir,” “Coronavirus; Threat to National Security” and “Top 100 Investigations” in a short period. Later, he also founded the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR), which is currently headed by his elder son Ali Rehman Malik who is carrying forward his late father’s legacy. He will be remembered forever as among those who touch our lives and stay in our hearts forever. May his soul rest in peace.

The writer is associated with PPP and served Late Senator Abdul Rehman Malik as Spokesperson. He tweets @RiazToori.