English & Urdu Text : Khalid IqbalPresentation : Shoaib Sobani

The debacle of ‘71 left uncountable anecdotes to remember, share and gain anyastuteness if possible. Khalid Rasheed was a sufferer and a witness to the atrocioustimes. Civil wars are sometimes more ruthless than military warfare.

How can you save yourself from a mental crumple if your father was cruelly martyred,or if you had to pretend to be dead in the presence of hooligans who were unswervingfor an open blood bath? Like everyone who had undergone sufferings in those daysin East Pakistan, Khalid had to face destitution in his newly opted home in Karachi andhad to make a fresh beginning.

Khalid was a very quiet person at Dow. To stay alive with group mates like Asif, Munir,Naheed, Nasreen Munshi, Fakhruddin, Sohail et al was itself a tight spot to be in.Khalid joined a Karate club and soon became a black belt karateka. Karate works likeyoga to stay calm, get rid of astray reflections and a negative mindset. Khalid wasthen called Khalid Karatewala.

One thing which started bothering Khalid was the fast receding hairline. Adisastrous outcome smacked him when he became a victim of a “rainy frog” unripehair transplant surgeon who did testing on his scalp. He was not impressed oramused at all and ended up wearing a scalp cap permanently. This is how he thenbecame popular as Khalid Topiwala.

Once a graduate Khalid was out of the effects of calamity and he decided to proceedto England. One benefactor was his elder brother who worked as a CharteredAccountant and probably owned a South Asian Restaurant in England. Thisinvaluable assistance turned out to be a refuge of the destitute for the wholefamily. Khalid did PLAB and started his surgical training.

His brother was very courteous and a welcoming personality to facilitate transitorystay for many batch mates of ‘79. He enthusiastically provided culinary delights fromhis restaurants to the starved souls who were sick and tired of experiment withtheir own recipes. Take away packets of delicious food for the next week was anadded attraction for some.

Khalid Rasheed did his FRCS and is settled as a consultant in Doncastor since long.Now he is known as Khalid Doncasterwala. He now leads a serene, pious and affluentlife with his young family in the town of Doncastor.

PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 22TH OCTOBER 2011SHOAIBTHANKS FOR KHALIDKGHALID WAS NOT A QUITE PERSON SHOAIB----------ASK HIS FRIENDS THEY WILL TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT HIM AND JOKES HE CREATED IN HIS OWN HE IS A GENTELMAN AND YOU RIGHTLY SAID THAT HE IS ALWAYS HELPFULL TO FRIENDS OF ANY COLOUR AND BELIEF WHEN EVER I MET HIM HE WAS AS WARM AS POSSIBLE - KHALID WE HAD GREAT TIME AND ITS GREAT TO HAVE U IN OUR CLASSTAKE CAREShershah

Kis tara boulaga ga dil - Khalid and Arshad Usmani are two unique colourful memories of my house job and 'the odd balls' clinical group. Memorable and pleasant- Caught up with Khalid in London in early 80s and nothing since! Khalid, even I have developed a solar panel on my scalp that only shows in a rare view mirror!-Keep in touch matty. I may now even be more of a handful then before but still your friend and 'paristar‘ Best wishes You and your familyMunir

Shoaib:Thank you very much for Khalid. Khalid: First of all congratulations on being the personality of the week. We all hope that you will enlighten us with your own version of events or even jokes, whatever you prefer to. I still remember the great food (among other things I add hastily) that we used to eat in London courtesy of your brother. Those were the days my friend. Wish you every success in your endeavours. I know you will get there (if you are not there already). All the best to your wife and Hamza.Hasan