Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali and others deserve most profound tribute

Najamul Hasan

Karachi

Corps Commander Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali and all others aboard ill-fated helicopter deserve the most profound tribute from the Pakistani nation for the historic sacrifice that they have rendered for their people. They have added a new bright chapter to the country’s history through their sheer commitment to profession, bravery and protection of their people. All of them embraced martyrdom during relief operations in Lasbella district of Balochistan where rains and flash floods have wrecked massive havoc, inflicting a huge loss on lives and property. That the honourable corps commander led from the front in rescue efforts is a fact. The role played by him and his comrades towards saving lives in Balochistan, the country’s largest province in terms of area, at the cost of their own lives shall never be forgotten. He ably fulfilled a coordinated and operational role within the mechanisms and procedures which have been established by National Disaster Management Authority and global agencies to facilitate immediate response in the event of disaster. Last but not least, what does it mean to leave a legacy? Benjamin Franklin put it this way: “If you would not be forgotten as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”. Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali has done something that indeed is worth writing.