M A I N   N E W S

Pak ex-acting Prez visits his ancestral home in Jalandhar
Dharmendra Joshi/TNS

Jalandhar, October 28
This city virtually rolled out the red carpet for former acting President of Pakistan, Wasim Sajjad, who visited Jalandhar to see his ancestral house at Suraj Ganj locality near Jyoti Chowk here today.

Born at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital on March 30, 1941, Wasim spent some time of his childhood pre-Partition at his grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Sharif’s house number WG 545 at Suraj Ganj locality on the Nakodar road.

Apparently overwhelmed by a rousing welcome for him by city residents, Sajjad, also a top lawyer of Pakistan, said: “I have been pleasantly surprised by the way I am welcomed by residents of this locality and the members of the District Bar Association (DBA).”

Though he was just six when his family went to Pakistan during Partition, yet he recollected some old memories during his hour-long visit to Suraj Ganj. Accompanied by his two barrister sons, Ali Sajjad and Omar Sajjad, and two secretaries, Zahid Hanif and Adnan, he remembered “a place outside there house was named as Nakodar adda from where ‘tangas’ were hired for travelling to Nakodar at that time.”

While he did not enter his ancestral house spread over 41 marlas as it was locked as its current owner lives in Mumbai, Wasim stated that he used to spend his school vacations at Suraj Ganj house.

Wasim remembered there used to be a hand pump at the entrance of the house which was corroborated by Major General Dr Tirath Singh (retd), whose house was and is still located opposite to that of his maternal grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Sharif.

Wasim’s acquaintance, advocate Navtej Singh Toor, former chairman of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council, first took Wasim to Dr Tirath Singh (86) and his wife Dr Amarjeet Kaur’s clinic located opposite his ancestral house. Dr Tirath had called Toor after reading an exclusive news item carried in The Tribune on Sunday to tell him the exact location of the house.

Expressing their gratitude, Wasim and his son Ali Sajjad told this correspondent: “We will remember The Tribune for helping in locating our ancestral house.”

Every one was keen to have a glimpse of the visiting guest. Wasim and his elder son, Ali Sajjad, captured almost every moment in their camera.

Mayor Sunil Jyoti deputed local registrar of birth and death branch of the Municipal Corporation, Dr Virendra Kalia, to check pre-Partition birth records. Dr Kalia accompanied by senior deputy mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia also presented him his hurriedly prepared birth certificate after checking the records.