PIA’s flight PK 8303 flying from Lahore to Karachi unfortunately crashed a few minutes prior to landing, on the fateful day of Friday, May 22 at 2:47pm, claiming the lives of 97 passengers and the whole plane crew – leaving the whole nation in immense distress and shock over the loss of precious lives two days before Eidul Fitr. Khalid Sherdil, CEO of Urban Unit, P&D Board, Government of the Punjab, Secretary MPDD, Government of the Punjab and Director General Strategic Support Unit (SSU) P&D Board, Government of the Punjab, a BPS-21 Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS) officer par excellence, was amongst the passengers who perished in the unfortunate incident. “We, at the Urban Unit, do not have the words that do justice to this tragic and irreparable loss. We have not only lost our leader and mentor but an extremely humble, down-to-earth, humane and kind soul who was the head of our Urban Unit family. Mr. Khalid Sherdil had been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Unit since January 25, 2019. During this time, he was able to not only steer the company out of its recurring financial distress but was also able to execute and implement various multi-dimensional projects. A born leader and visionary, Mr. Khalid was always admired for his relentless optimism and positive outlook in overcoming challenges and completing large-scale complex projects with his unmatched management and problem-solving skills, with the utmost ease. His efforts during this short period put the Urban Unit on the map, quickly garnering both national and international praise and recognition. Renowned for his natural abilities as an innovator, he always came with new and ground-breaking ideas which resulted in a consistent and ongoing improvement in the operations and systems of the company. Khalid Sherdil was an all but dissertation (ABD) in a doctoral degree in computer science with the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He also held a master’s degree in computer science from McGill University, Canada and a degree in electrical engineering from the Washington University. Before joining the Urban Unit, he had held several important positions including Secretary for Industries in the Punjab, Secretary Labour for Balochistan, Secretary Prosecution in the Punjab, Additional Home Secretary in the Punjab and Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Punjab. His relentless work ethic and dedication during the recent COVID-19 crisis is well documented. There is no doubt that he has left a permanent imprint on the whole country, improving the lives, and touching the hearts and minds of countless people. His untimely demise has left a lasting dent within the government fraternity and is a permanent loss for the nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family. The whole Urban Unit family is deeply shocked and hurt and prays for him to be rewarded with the highest ranks in Jannah. We were all better off for knowing him and it was both an honor and privilege to have known and worked with him. May Allah bless his soul and grant peace and forbearance to his family during these trying times. Aameen. News desk