How Pakistan Army blocked Indian doctor's noble project

Amritsar-based eye surgeon Padmashree Dr Daljit Singh had a noble dream to set up a charitable hospital and a university in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev, which lies in Punjab province of Pakistan

The borders dividing India and Pakistan may be witnessing exchange of fire in place of sweets for now, but common citizens on both sides have always spread the message of humanity and brotherhood.
While a Lahore-based painter Iqbal Hussain showed respect to de-consecrated temple idols and spread the message of communal harmony, an Amritsar-based world famous eye surgeon Dr Daljit Singh, 81, wanted to set up a charitable eye hospital and a university at Nankana Sahib - the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev.
Dr Daljit Singh and his Karachi-based friend late Prof TH Kirmani had not only managed the land for his dream project but both had even laid the foundation stone on February 25, 2007 to build the hospital.

Sadly, the land donated by a local resident Fazal Rabbani was occupied by the Pakistan army which has not vacated it till today.
"We had infact planned a University in the name of Guru Nanak Dev. The charitable Hospital was part of the project which was planned on one acre. We were hopeful that the Sikh devotees visiting Nankana Sahab will donate generously to the project but it did not advance beyond the foundation stone," Dr Daljit Singh told Mail Today.

 

Dr Daljit Singh told Mail Today that the Pakistan government has given the status of a holy city to Nankana Sahib but the health amenities in and around it are still inadequate. He wanted to serve the local people by setting up the hospital as cataract blindness is very common in Nankana Sahib district.

"We wanted to spread the message of universal brotherhood by serving the people. But the dream was never actualised. Now they have eased visa norms for senior citizens but who will receive me at Wagah border? My friend TH Kirmani is no more, he died in an accident four years ago," says Dr Daljit Singh who still lives with his dream to open a charitable hospital in Pakistan.
Singh says his dream can never be fulfilled as the tension between India and Pakistan is growing. He has visited Pakistan two times and is all praise for Pakistan where there are a number of state-of-the-art charitable hospitals.
Dr Daljit Singh, who has made Amritsar a mecca for eye patients from all over the world, was awarded the Padmashree in 1987 by the Indian government. He is the first ophthalmologist to introduce Intra Ocular Lens implant in India in the 1970s. He is known for his expertise in cataract and glaucoma surgeries.