Man behind ‘Red-brick blocks’

The funds are sufficient to bring a change but change is only possible if one has the will and determination he does.

The efforts of Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, famous not only for his street politics and outspoken nature, but also for his generosity towards educational institutions for girls in Rawalpindi, are laudable.

The logic behind the presence of a Sheikh Rasheed Block at almost every school or college for girls in the constituency of NA-55 is not known to many, especially since these blocks aren’t found in any colleges for boys. Sheikh Rasheed won in the elections held this year.

Sheikh Sahib mentioned at a prize distribution ceremony at Viqar-un-Nisa Post-Graduate College for Women a few years back that his colleague(s) brought several gifts with them when they returned from foreign visits, but he brought maps of “red-brick buildings”. He joked that due to the construction of blocks only at female institutions, he often drew the ire of the boys. The grievances of the Pindi boys are genuine since they have been missing out on infrastructural improvement.

It is a fact that the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) in Rawalpindi was constructed due to his untiring efforts, when he was a minister during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure as chief minister.

Later, when he got 12 male educational institutions renovated in the same manner, he was disappointed. The boys in Rawalpindi weren’t interested in education, he lamented.

Now, he has plans to develop new ideas for the health sector in his constituency. His contribution to the field of education is laudable and overwhelming and given his dedication one should be optimistic about his future projects.

The funds available for members of the National Assembly are sufficient to bring a change in this constituency, but change is only possible if one has the will and the determination to deliver, like Sheikh Rasheed does.

Read more by Shazia here.