News Desk |
A health center is to be established and named after Farman Ali, a Pakistani who lost his life while saving people in Jeddah floods back in 2009. The announcement has been made by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman who is also Saudi Arabia’s deputy premier and minister of defense.
HRH Crown Prince Directs for Establishing Health Center in Name of Pakistani Martyr Farman Khan in his Hometown.https://t.co/ZMKWcBxjBv#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/AI3vDj4QhW
— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 18, 2019
The health center will be constructed in the hometown of Farman Ali in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported Arab News. In the directive, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman expressed his personal interest and appreciation of martyr of Farman Khan’s family in recognition of his heroic act.
The family received a letter of condolence from the Saudi King Abdullah and travelled to Saudi Arabia on special invitation. A grand reception was held at the palace where the king awarded Khan the King Abdul Aziz Medal of the First Order.
Farman Ali became the hero in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan after he jumped in the devastating flood water in Jeddah to save 14 lives but was drowned while saving the 15th person. He tied a rope to his waist and jumped into the roaring waters to rescue the lives. He was posthumously awarded the King Abdulaziz Medal of the First Order by the Saudi government. He was conferred Tamgha-e-Shujat by then President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan.
His daughter has said that he “will always be alive in our memory.” He hailed from Swat and has three daughters, Zubaida, Madeeha, and Javeriah.
In an interview to an Arab media outlet, his daughter said “He always dreamt of being a doctor, but financial troubles forced him to stop his education and become a grocer in Jeddah,” said Zubaida. “He couldn’t become a doctor, so now we will fulfill his dream,” she said.
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“We unluckily spent little time with our father,” she said. “But he will be alive in our memories forever. Everyone in our neighbourhood and school knows us as the children of a hero. Khan is our superstar.” His father Rehman Khan reminiscing about his son stated that he was a very hard working man and was always busy but would call to his family whenever got time.
“He was brave and fearless, but very kind and obedient,” Rehman said. “He would always talk in a light way, laughing out loud. I remember that when his grandmother would get upset, he would crack jokes until she started laughing. I never saw him angry or arguing with anyone.”
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The family received a letter of condolence from the Saudi King Abdullah and travelled to Saudi Arabia on special invitation. A grand reception was held at the palace where the king awarded Khan the King Abdul Aziz Medal of the First Order. A street in Jeddah is also named after him.