Malik Saad passes away
The suicide bomb attack in Peshawar last Saturday, the death of CCPO Malik Mohammad Saad, DSP Khan Raziq, other policemen and civilians on 27 January 2007 brings genuine grief to many of us. Malik Saad was known to be one of the best policemen in NWFP. Thinking of his wife and three young children makes the loss even more poignant. Those who know of his reputation cannot help contemplating if this is the fate awaiting the few fine and brave policemen who do their work right, Malik Saad being the second senior NWFP police official, after DIG Abid Ali, to have died in the last two months. This also is a rare occasion where the person being mourned and remembered as a hero truly is a hero.
NWFP loses its finest cop
By Rahimullah Yusufzai
PESHAWAR: The Frontier Police had not yet recovered from the loss of one of its bravest police officers Abid Ali that it lost Malik Muhammad Saad, arguably the finest cop in the province.
Abid Ali, who was killed by unknown gunmen after being waylaid in Mattani area near Peshawar in December, had earned promotion as deputy inspector-general of police at the same time last year as Malik Saad. Both were talented and fearless police officers. And they were destined to die unnatural deaths so close to each other.
Few police officers received the kind of public support that Malik Saad got upon his appointment as chief of capital city police on December 28, 2006. There was tremendous goodwill for him and people from different walks of life gave statements and wrote letters welcoming his appointment and hoping that he would free Peshawar of crime and bring order to their disorderly city. High expectations were attached to the upright cop who brooked no political interference in his work and had the guts to do his job without fear or favour. Such was the trust in Malik Saad that many people felt he possessed the magic wand to set things right and succeed where others may have failed.
Malik Saad received promotion to grade 19 on December 6 last year. The then IGP Muhammad Raffat Pasha pinned badges to his shoulders to formalize his promotion and to make him deputy inspector general of police. Like Abid Ali, he had been promoted at a relatively young age. It was early recognition of Malik Saad’s services as a brave and capable cop. It was, therefore, hardly surprising that IGP Pasha on that occasion generously praised him and remarked that both the people and police of the province trusted Malik Saad.
Born in Kohat, Malik Saad was a civil engineer. But fate brought him to the police and he served with so much dedication in every position he held that got the choicest jobs. His degree in civil engineering and his administrative experience prompted the provincial government to appoint him administrator of Peshawar Municipal Corporation and as head of Peshawar Development Authority, or CD&MD as it was renamed.
His performance in those two non-policing jobs was praised by his superiors as well as by the general public. However, it was as a police officer that Malik Saad mde his mark wherever he served. He headed the police in Peshawar and in Buner, Swat and Dir. He also did a stint as assistant inspector general of police for traffic in Peshawar. At all those places, he set standards that his successors found difficult to emulate.
His last weeks in life were spent clearing encroachments in Peshawar and streamlining the chaotic traffic in the city. Already, improvements were becoming visible and Peshawarites were hoping that things would become better and brighter in the days to come. It didn’t happen that way and now we know that Malik Saad was counting his days.
The end came violently with the suicide bomber, or the one who planted the bomb, aiming for Malik Saad and his police subordinates in what one could justifiably describe as targeted killing. Most of those killed were cops, both young and old and senior and junior. Among them were the ever-smiling and at times naughty deputy superintendent of police Khan Raziq and six young constables brought from Police Training College, Hangu in aid of local police to upgrade security for Ashura. And then there was Malik Saad, who offered the supreme sacrifice of his life leading his men from the front. That is how he operated as police officer in emergencies throughout his distinguished career and that is the way he would have preferred to die.
A website & guest book dedicated to Malik Saad: maliksaad.info
February 9th, 2007 at 3:19 am
No doubt he was a great officer and also a great human being. He was a big asset for NWFP and especially for Pakistan. He was not only well respected in Pakistan but also very well liked abroad. God bless his soul. Can you please send me Rahimullah Sahib’s phone number?
February 9th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Malik Muhammad Saad Khan was my uncle and I always looked up to him in the darkest of times in Peshawar. When I heard the news, I just could not believe it. Saad Uncle was the most influential and honest person in the whole nation. Losing him is like losing a great part of my life!
February 12th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
I was shocked to hear the tragic news of Malik Saad being martyred. We still have in our minds the horrible killing of another DIG Abid Ali, being martyred in December ‘06, but the most shocking was that our efficient cops are being killed in a gruesome manner almost on monthly basis.
We as a nation always forget about these unsung heroes, if writing a few lines for such great people is the reward which I and many others ought to pay in their honor, then I must say that we have very little respect for these legends. What we can do for such people is to remember them in our prayers, incorporating their deeds, single may be, which appeals us in our daily life e.g devotion to our duties, ferocity when dealing with criminals, determination to fight for the right cause and to offer our life whenever circumstance demands.
May Almighty rest him in eternal peace,……Amin
February 13th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
At least a road should be named after Mlik Saad Shaheed. Allah give him Jannatul Firdous, ameen.
February 13th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Today, I am writing this in a state of extreme hopelessness and grief about the people of my beloved province. This is our bad luck that we are loosing our heroes… I don’t have any words for this great man; he was a man of extraordinary qualities. The provincial as well as the central government should have observed three days mourning after loosing such a legend. Yesterday, I was moving in the city with an extreme sense of insecurity and the environment was looking dim even after a week. Besides us, the roads and the streets of our province are mourning and weeping after the greatest son of the greatest land on earth… Had it been in my hands, I would have sacrificed my life a hundred times, but would not have given him in the hands of death. His was not death but Martyrdom… because we get such people in centuries…
WE WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER…
February 18th, 2007 at 3:56 am
The massive outpouring of grief is a testament to the larger than life character of a brilliant officer and a decent human being. Power is seducing and to resist the temptations of power is all the more difficult in this age. When power is aligned for the public good and a just dispensation of justice is ensured for all, then Grief and melancholy shall follow when the continuance of justice is deprived all of a sudden and a Precious Life is lost in such a brutal fashion. A loss then become truly irreparable, that is mourned by the relatives and the general public at large. Malik Saad’s phenomenal reputation has always been admirable, inspirational and trusting. He will go in history as a true and honourable gentleman. My deep felt sympathies to his immediate family and friends. May Allah give them courage and patience to be serene in these testing times.
Probably there are too many scoundrels up there in the heavens, so Allah needed Malik Saad to be a Guardian Angel.
April 27th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Malik Saad was a brave and honest man and so was Abid Ali. They were both heroes for the police department. I wish to do a good job as a policeman and will try to do as well as Abid Ali (Shaheed) who is my greatest hero. We pray to God that both these men may go to Heaven.
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:50 am
Compliments to all. By myself, I’m going to present a tribute to the martyred DIG Malik Saad. May his soul rest in peace. Amin!
Next, I’m going to criticize the comments of a few. You have adopted a hazy way, which means I find some difficult words in the comment of Mr. Magic Khan. It’s not fair to do so. You people have to deliver this message as simply as you can. Don’t consider all people to be like you. Everyone may not be able to understand such difficult expressions. Therefore, a message regarding these martyrs should be conveyed in a simple fashion so that no one may have any problem understanding it.
Thanks.
July 14th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I love Malik Muhammad Saad Shaheed because he was an honest and brave man. He worked a lot for the city of Peshawar and FATA. He cleansed the city of narcotics to an unusual extent. He was a great man.
July 28th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
ta toolo na pala salam salam pass kom malik saad .malik saad kho pala ma non laday. kho num ma aurdlay wo.za pa shahi bagh jam khana ka cricket kom zama lara pa faqar abad banday wa. doomra rasah ba wo. cha khlaqo ta problam dar zayat wo.kala na cha malik saad ccp sho no agha waraz na pa faqar abad ta pool landay bal gul aman wo rash dar kam shway wo no day zra ma malik saad ta dawo okia. ya allah malik saad kamayab ka. kho da ba zong batkasmaty wo cha malik saad zoang na laro.
August 3rd, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Today, I am writing this in a state of extreme hopelessness and grief about the people of my beloved province. This is our bad luck that we are loosing our heroes… I don’t have any words for this great man; he was a man of extraordinary qualities. The provincial as well as the central government should have observed three days mourning after loosing such a legend. Yesterday, I was moving in the city with an extreme sense of insecurity and the environment was looking dim even after a week. Besides us, the roads and the streets of our province are mourning and weeping after the greatest son of the greatest land on earth… Had it been in my hands, I would have sacrificed my life a hundred times, but would not have given him in the hands of death. His was not death but Martyrdom… because we get such people in centuries…
August 14th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
i m zohaib hassan.i m student here in Australia.well i visit the site & feel good.The death of sir “Malik Saad ” was a very shocking news for us he was such an honest & motivated man,his name iz his identity.& need no explanation. Both of his son are my good freinds.shalim,salim.i did horse riding with them.We remember his work for making displine in Peshawar.in last i will just say that why honest people don’t servive in our country?i slute to him.”MAY ALLAH PLACE HIS SOLE IN HEAVEN”.& to my dear freinds Shalim & salim WE ARE WITH YOU”.
August 14th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
FOR “SIR MALIK SAAD”.He was a brave,Motivted,honest,patiotic,displined,educated man.Sir we will remember u.I PRAY TTHAT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INCLUDED IN SUCH A BLOODY PLANING I DON’T CALL THEM MUSLIM BIT THEY ARE ANIMALS MAY THEY GOT A GREAT AAZAAB FROM “ALLAH ALMIGHTY”.AND I M COFIDENT THAT THEY WILL LOOSE.MAY ALLAH REST SOLE OF SIR SAAD IN HEAVEN.(ZOHAIB HASSAN MELEBOURNE AUSTRALIA)
November 7th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
I have not forgotten our nation’s greatest hero, he lives on with us. Malik Saad Shaheed was, as many people have said it time and time again as there is no other word for it: A Great and Noble Man. One Year has gone bye and still i wish there would be some way of bringing him back I miss him and I love him. He will always be my hero
Malik Muhammad Saad Khan Shaheed, the nation salutes you as a great and true hero.
(may Allah bless his Soul)(ameen)
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Khan Raziq was my cousin. I was in Belgium when I heard about his death in a suicide attack, and I was deeply and shocked. I will miss him more than anyone else because I couldn’t see the cruelty of those people who killed my dear cousin. I think nobody can replace him in the present generation of our family, or even in the future.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Today marks one year for the tragic and horrific departure of one of the finest men I have ever met or worked with while I was serving with the UN humanitarian agencies in NWFP from 2002 to 2006. To find a dedicated professional with a good heart wearing an a permanent smile printed on his face, despite all the difficulties in his professional and personal life, is very difficult to find. I learnt about Saad’s death after my departure from Peshawar. I was watching TV when the news fell on me and devastated me. I still cannot believe that he is no longer there in Peshawar. I loved him like a brother and I miss him like crazy. I’ll never forget you Malik Saad.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
چه فولاد د وينے موړ په مينه مست شى
نو حيران او پريشان تار د ستار شى
March 16th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
“NA MANAM A YARRA MARG ANJAM DA HASTAY NA DAYY,,
KHLASEEDAL SHARAB PA JAM KAY EKHTEE THAM DA HASTY NADAAY..”
( GHANI KHAN BABA )
SHAHEED MALAK SAAD CROWN OF FRONTIER POLICE,
THE NAME OF HONOUR,
THE SIGN OF COURAGE,
THE LEADER OF TIGERS,
ALWAYS WILL BE IN OUR HEARTS
March 28th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
KHAN RAZIK was my dear n beloved friend .he was a true man n man of his words tht day i was watching tv n shocked to hear tht terrible news…esay insan sadioon main peda hoty hain,i will miss him forever