Around a fortnight ago, two motorcyclists shot the local hero dead before he could pounce on them.
Nasir used to own a motorcycle repair shop on the same street as Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The 45-year-old man had become a local hero for his ability to identify suspicious activities in the area. His last catch was of two robbers near a school in Paposh. One of the men, who had absconded from police custody, had vowed to come after him.
“There was no one like Nasir Bhai,” says Haider, who is also a mechanic. “The people would run away from the robbers but he would always chase them.”
A butcher, Ghufran, remembers how seven months ago three men had barged into his shop and shot him in the leg. “No one was willing to step forward except Nasir,” he remembers. “While two men ran away, Nasir grabbed the gun of the third one and handed him over to the police.”
Nasir’s mother told The Express Tribune that around 13 years ago, Nasir’s father was run over by a truck driver. He spent 1.5 months tracking the man down and was satisfied only when the police finally caught him. “After his father’s death, he couldn’t see any injustice happening to anyone,” says Fatima, sitting in a barely furnished room in her house near Chandni Chowk. “He would not let anyone suffer.”
Since then, Nasir had gathered quite a reputation for catching thieves in the area. To date he had helped the police catch 35 criminals from Nazimabad.
At home, Nasir would tell his children stories about catching criminals. Even if he was out with them he couldn’t stop himself from chasing them. “Once he took me for shopping to Hyderi and then suddenly left me saying that he would be back in a minute,” shares his wife, Tasneem.
“When he came back we found out that he had gone to tell the police about two suspects.”
Gabol Town SHO Shaur, who was posted for seven months at the Paposh Nagar police station, said that during his time the thief grabber informed him about suspected robbers several times. “All his suspicions turned out to be true,” he says. “God knows how he knew who were criminals.”
Although Nasir helped the police to catch criminals he was not an ‘informant’. He would go after the men himself and then hand them over to the police. “We would never tell anyone that Nasir helped us,” says Shaur.
Another one of Nasir’s friends, Athar Hussain, who works as a photojournalist, said that he loved to read crime stories. “Once he captured three muggers outside a bank. He lunged at a man who was roughly thrice his weight. He would not stop,” he says.
However, it seems that for once Nasir’s love for adventure cost him too much. His wife, Tasneem, is torn between pride and bitterness. “Everyone stopped him from going after criminals,” she says. “But he never listened. I am proud of all the things my husband did but I am devastated that he was killed for being a savior.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (18)
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Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon…
I am shocked to see this story, I live in Nazimabad and I know Nasir very well he was a Brave man and a fun loving person. May Allah bless his soul. I agree with Hafeez Let us all write to the authorities to name a road or a bridge after this brave man. Let us not forget him!
It seems he have been trapped
@A:
Nobody is denying that he is a hero - but as some commentators have correctly stated, he should never have had to pay for his reputation with his life. Now a wife is a widow and there are a few more fatherless children on the streets of Pakistan.
If I could drain every last rupee from the so-called '22 families' that rule the country and compensate Nasir's family, it would still not be enough to account for the pride and the virtue that this man brought to the whole of Pakistan.
Somebody else made a great suggestion, to set up a trust fund so people could donate towards the well-being of his family; ET is in a position to make these kinds of stories very public, so perhaps this can become a possibility. God knows now more than ever, we need reminders of how pure a soul can be.
Rest in peace Nasir; may Almighty Allah watch over your family and reunite you in the afterlife. I would have been honoured and privileged beyond words to have known a person like you.
Hasan
Why is everyone being sad about his demise? He was a hero, and died a hero's death. I can't quote Islamic sources and proclaim him to be a 'shaheed', but he died saving others, serving humanity. As Edhi Sahab said, 'No religion is greater than humanity' - hence I believe he left us for a much better life, and even in his death can prove a beacon of light for others in society!
Just my opinion.
Inna lillah e waina elahey rajeeon
Is there someway to contact or provide funds for his family ? I would like to contribute to his children's education if possible.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'oon...
May Allah bless his soul. He was a real hero, who used the sense he was gifted with bravery throughout his life and finally rewarded with martyrdom. His coward killers too may some day end up in news but in completely opposite manner.
Thanks a million for writing Rabia...
Brave man. May Allah bless his soul and may others especially our police learn lesson from this persons life. Wish Nasir was present in every area of the city and not just nazimabad. Kudos to the writer for highlight local heroes as these people are the real heroes and not the ones which appear as saviour of people and fool the masses.
May Allah bless his soul
He is indeed a hero and should not remain unsung, am glad you chose to write about him.
I'm actually quite emotionally saddened and disturbed by this story. Why is it that GOOD people like Mr Nasir, suffer and pay the ultimate price with their own life gone, who try to bring peace in their neighbourhood and people who are bad, and do great evil, nothing happens to them. It happens like this in every corner of the world but I feel the most for the poor and honest man in Pakistan as they have to struggle so much more just to survive. Rest in peace Mr Nasir. Definitely will remember you for a long time even though I've never met you.
I wish we had such men enlisted in Police. A great man in todays's Pakistan. May Allah rest his soul in peace and may give his loved ones the fortitude to bear this loss. This is a loss not just for his family, it is for all of us. Let us all write to the authorities to name a road or a bridge after this brave man. Let us not forget him!
express tribune please pay proper respect to this brave man by changing the comical title of the story
Innah lilah hay wa innah elehay rajaoon........May ALLAH (SWT) bless his soul....ameen
True dabang. Only that he was not in police.
This is the fate, One day we all have to go May ALLAH bless him with eternal peace..!