- The event was held in favor of the Pakistan Medical Centre (PMC).
- Faiz was a prominent Pakistani author and poet who pioneered Urdu.
- Faisal Niaz Tirmizi paid a fitting homage to Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) and Poetic Strokes teamed to host A Tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz: An Evening with Adeel Hashmi at the Pakistan Auditorium, PAD, on Friday, February 3rd, 2023. The event was held in favor of Pakistan Medical Centre (PMC), the GCC’s first not-for-profit healthcare center in the UAE that provides quality healthcare to people of all nationalities. Since its inception in October 2020, PMC has served over 40,000 patients, with the vast majority of them receiving free therapy. On Friday, almost 300 people from many walks of life gathered to offer their continuous support for the healthcare institution.
Adeel Hashmi, an actor and motivational speaker from Pakistan, flew here to do a mesmerizing poetry recital in honor of his grandfather, the great Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. His mesmerising concert captivated the audience as they listened to soulful compositions by pianist Asad Anees and reveled in Faiz’s enchanted realm. Faiz was a prominent Pakistani author and poet who pioneered Urdu and Punjabi literature. He was one of the most era-defining poets of all time. On the occasion of his birthday, February 13th, we hoped to honor his efforts through our platform.
Dr. Faisel Ikram, President of the PAD, spoke at the event, reflecting on the PAD-PMC journey thus far. He praised our Medical Wing, sponsors, supporters, and the UAE authorities for making our once-impossible dream project a reality. Dr. Faisel spoke at length on our strategy for achieving larger milestones in the next years. “The beauty of this association and Institute is that it is run entirely by volunteers. Individuals have a platform for institutionalized volunteerism that is not available anywhere else. We want to see this project through to completion. This will be accomplished if we have a framework in place for people to donate on a regular basis. With Own a Brick, you helped us raise the bar. You are the sole owner.
With Brick a Month, we hope to engage people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, with monthly contributions ranging from AED 200 to AED 10,000. Through this, we will ensure ongoing community support on a monthly basis. PMC is only the starting point. Our goal is to turn this center into a hospital. It’s certainly doable if we work together. “We serve and rise together,” remarked President PAD.
Poetry enthusiasts, literature fans, businessmen, and philanthropists were in attendance who claimed their invitations upon the ownership of a brick (each worth AED 1000) in support of Pakistan Medical Centre – which also entitled them to a PAD membership. The generous supporters and donors of PMC have facilitated our mission to make healthcare accessible to all with over 40,000 lives impacted and 54 nationalities served. A documentary narrating some moving patient accounts of how PMC has made a difference to their lives was also presented to the audience.
In his remarks, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, paid a fitting homage to Faiz Ahmed Faiz. “Faiz was a revolution, a message, a visionary poet whose legacy continues to live on now,” he remarked.
The event, organized in support of PMC, saw a huge number of individuals gather to contribute to the cause. The medical center, located on the Eighth Manzil (floor) of PAD’s main block, offers over sixteen disciplines, including well-equipped cardiology, ophthalmology, dentistry, and physiotherapy facilities, among many others. It is open seven days a week and serves patients from all walks of life using a hybrid approach of self-pay, insurance, and welfare. The Zakat and Sadaqah pool of donations, which is sponsored by the community at large, is used to treat all of the center’s welfare patients. Our team is led by our devoted employees as well as 41 volunteer professionals and experts from the city’s top healthcare facilities who offer their time to help.
Ayesha Imtiaz, Founder/CEO of Poetic Strokes said: “As an ardent supporter of Pakistan Medical Center, Poetic Strokes is proud to co-organize this beautiful evening and become a part of this great cause. Adeel Hashmi and Asad Anees did justice to Faiz’s magical poetry. Such literary events should happen more often as they bring out the diversity of the unmatched city of Dubai and reflects the strength of the city’s fabric. Humbled by the amount of praise we have received from the audience and the support in the form of pledges for the Medical Center. The sense of togetherness and pride I saw at the event has been a truly heartwarming and inspiring experience.”
PMC enthusiastically launched an outreach program in which the team visited schools to provide free healthcare exams for young children while also raising awareness about the importance of oral cleanliness and good eye health practices. The PMC Internship Program was also established to provide students with a unique early career experience in healthcare, human resources, marketing, finance, administration, and information technology while also giving back to the community.
The Own a Brick initiative, which began in August 2016, contributed to the construction of the world’s largest community center for Overseas Pakistanis, which contains the Pakistan Medical Centre. Shahid Afridi Health and Fitness Centre, Brick Café, Hub47, Hunarkadah, seminar, and conference rooms are also part of the AED 20 million projects.
The project was completed in 2020, and the Pakistan Medical Centre began operations in October of that year. The event on Friday evening was held to gather funds to support the medical center’s ongoing operations and to ensure our long-term sustainability model.
We also used the occasion to pay tribute to Pakistani ghazal singer, Nayyara Noor, who passed away late last year, often known as the Nightingale of Pakistan.
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