Muhammad Shahzaib Bajwa, 20, was spending a semester in an exchange programme at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. PHOTO: SHAHZAIB'S FACEBOOK PROFILE
LAHORE: Relatives of a Pakistani student left comatose following a traffic accident in the United States have raised thousands of dollars for his treatment after an insurance company refused to cover the entire cost of the treatment.
Muhammad Shahzaib Bajwa, 20, has been in a coma since November when a deer struck a car carrying him and friends from the city of Minneapolis back to the University of Wisconsin-Superior where he was spending a semester abroad.
The deer's antlers pierced his face and broke his nose, although he was still able to speak. But once at the hospital, he choked on his own blood and suffered a heart attack.
His brother Shahraiz, who has come to the US to help, said the insurance company was pressing the family to sign off on returning Shahzaib to Pakistan once his visa runs out on February 28, threatening not to pay evacuation costs if the family refuses.
"My mother is not going to sign because that would be like killing her son with her own hand," the elder Bajwa told AFP Wednesday, adding he feared his brother would not survive the 24-hour flight.
By Thursday evening, an online appeal on the site gofundme.com created by Shahraiz to pay for his brother's ongoing medical care and apply for a visa extension had raised more than $20,000 of its $100,000 target.
A change.org petition created by a friend that calls on the United States to extend his visa has so far gathered over 1,000 signatures many of which came from Americans.
A spokeswoman from the foreign ministry said Pakistani officials had been in touch with the US State Department and were told extending Shahzaib's visa was "not a problem" if the family could raise funds for his care.
"The matter has been taken up with the State Department. Essentially visa extension is not a problem," Tasnim Aslam said, adding his future course of care was now "up to the family".
The Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota, has so far provided Shahzaib $350,000 worth of treatment for free.
The insurance company has an upper limit of $100,000 for the exchange programme, which it wants to use on his repatriation costs.
Shahzaib's uncle Ammanat Hussain Sahi told AFP his nephew was a bright student whose father had died leaving the family reliant on his pension and a small land holding they might need to sell to finance his treatment.
Sohail H Naqvi, vice chancellor of the the Lahore University of Management Sciences which Shahzaib attended, said: "He is a student of LUMS under its national outreach program, which offers scholarships to bright students from the families with limited resources."
Shahzaib was well known on campus as a liberal activist who co-founded the university's first-ever Feminist Society, Nida Kirmani, one of his professors, told AFP.
"He was one of my best students, really committed to social justice," she said, adding he was "outspoken in class in his support for feminism which is quite rare in Pakistan."
A friend of Shahzaib's, Nabiha Meher Shaikh, added: "I'm quite devastated, I'm trying to not cry. The thought of him being sent back to die is ridiculous. If the US wants to prove they care about Pakistan they should do something."
COMMENTS (29)
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The comments are missing the point. This is about saving a life.
I gave. Did you?
I don't understand the demand US should help? Why should the US Tax Payer help? Any one of you remember the name Faisal Shahzad? He went to US to study and turned out to be a terrorist. For all you know this Bajwa fellow would be going down the same garden path, Assuming this does not happen, he will join the ranks of millions of Pakis who bad mouth the US after benefiting from their largesse and do everything possible to run down that country. USA should deport him to Pakistan, He is a responsibility of the people of Pakistan and American tax payer should not have to foot his hospital bills..
@Ali: In deed, the sense and feelings as human being is vanished.
Totally agree with Shahzaib's friend Nabiha.
Nabiha Meher Shaikh, added: “I’m quite devastated, I’m trying to not cry. The thought of him being sent back to die is ridiculous. If the US wants to prove they care about Pakistan they should do something.”
What has Pakistani done for USA? Pakistan should pay for treatment of its citizen in USA.
How about some zakat from rich Arab Muslim ummah to help this poor Pakistani young man?
A distraction being created. America will come through in the end. They will extend the visa, they will pay his healthcare costs and show the world we care about Pakistanis, especially the liberal types. All of this while drones are killing the poor "fundamental types" in the tribal region of Pakistan. Kill the mulla silently, save the liberal loudly. That's the story ladies and gentlemen whether you like it or not.
Not a single sympathetic comment. Everyone is jumping on the last sentence. What a society we're living in.
I'll be the first one to say I hope he gets well soon. You people are dead inside.
Pakistani govt need to take the case at high level, though my wife is in america for the same semester exchange program, she is impress and happy the way american universities helped people like Shahzaib. Problem with the insurance company which is not taking all the medical expenses of shahzaib. May he get well soon and back to his family
American taxpayers have already paid $350,000 for his treatment cost. The insurance company will pay another $100,000. That's a lot of money already, Thank you Americans for your assistance.
i dread the day when us Pakistanis will create a conspiracy out of this as well like they always do.
It is a humanitarian issue. We request the US authorities to assist the young chap as much as they can. We really appreciate the commitment and generosity of the US govt and the US citizens for extending their valuable support towards humanitarian assistance.
@Kiran Alim:
Well said. First time a Pakistani has made sense on this board!
How to contribute fund? Pls provide his family's bank ac or some info. Thanks.
So let me get this straight, the parent had enough money to send her son to the States and yet wants him to stay there and be treated, despite the fact that the medical facilities in Pakistan can easily handle his case. This young man will not be okay overnight, he needs a long period of medical help and that is too much of a burden to the American taxpayer, who should not be supporting the medical bills of people who are not American citizens. The hospital in the States has gone above and beyond what a Pakistani hospital would have done, in Pakistani hospitals you can lie bleeding on the bed but they will not get a doctor to you until you go pay the fees. In this case, this young man has gotten a free ride for long enough and should be sent back to Pakistan. Life and death is in God's hands, and he will get good medical care in Pakistan. The family should not use this sad situation to make a desperate grab for American green cards at their son's expense.
Do I sense another Malala sequel coming up?
There are also few lessons to be learnt from this sad situation. All non residents who go to western countries should have valid documents, adequate medical insurance and never jump into a car if you are not sure that driver is sober and would follow rules.
This student went to the US on a cheap insurance policy (written by a non-US company) to save a little bit of money ... now he is paying the price. For a few hundred dollars more he could have bought a policy in the US with no lifetime-cap (lifetime caps are not allowed on US policies), and we would not be having this discussion. If he cannot raise the money, he should absolutely be sent back home -- there is no reason the US health-care system should pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a Pakistani citizen.
Shahzaib has many friends and supporters in both the U.S. and Pakistan, as well as other countries around the world. He has been a wonderful example of global cooperation and friendliness. We (his friends) are devastated about his condition and the uncertainty of his future treatment. He is not in good condition to travel, which is why his family wants him to stay in the U.S. for now. Please, we are asking that everyone who is able will contribute to the gofundme site! Also, his impending visa expiration is complicating the issue. We are hoping the U.S. will extend his visa to allow the family more time to determine a long-term course of care.
Where is the pakistan govt.. shouldn't they step in and support? They get billions on dollars, even the states has spent over 350000 dollars, doesn't that bring any ehsaas?
I hope everyone understands that the hospital has waived 350,000 dollars worth of its bills. That is almost 4 crore. It's a hospital not a charity. The family has raised $25,000 online and insurance will give them $100,000 for treatment in Pakistan. Are you telling me he cannot be treated for $125,000 in Pakistan ? Like almost 1 crore and 10 lacs? Don't be greedy, the hospital and insurance have helped them quite a lot. And all those riding high on the moral horse should look around and See how humane their own brethren are.
Where is the US humanitarian principle? capitalist mind ( insurance company)does not care humanity in the United States.
Most of the petitioners are Pakistani not Americans, you are spreading wrong information express news #Dollar
Imran Khan & Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari should come forward and collectively donate money from their personal wealth, after all there's so much they can eat or 'drink', no.
If the US wants to prove they care about Pakistan they should do something.” . Seems to me they have kept him alive/stable - spent over $350,000 which is growing daily - extended his visa - and haven't even received a thank you. Somehow many Pakistani's think the USA has an obligation to maintain him for the rest of his life but where's the logic in that? How about Pakistan stepping up to the plate for a change - after all he's a citizen of Pakistan not the USA.