Prof. Manzar Salim was a Man of Principles who had the courage to disagree and take a firm stand
A multifaceted personality, it was his qualities which are now admired the most for which he
was often sidelined by the establishment 

By Shaukat Ali Jawaid

KARACHI: Prof. Manzar Salim FRCS Professor of Surgery at Dow University of Health Sciences and Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Surgery passed away quietly on Saturday August 16^th 2008 at the age of fifty eight years (1950-2008).He is survived by a son and a daughter both students at Dow Medical College and Sindh Medical College respectively, Mrs. Manzar Salim and a large number of close relatives, colleagues, friends and well wishers to mourn his death.

The news of his death spread immediately all over the DUHS. His body was taken to Civil Hospital and kept in the Emergency Operation Theatre. On the request of the family embers, no autopsy was done and the body was eventually handed over to them for burial. His Nimaz-e-Jinaza was held at Masjid Babul Islam on Burns Road which was largely attended by faculty members of DUHS, members of the Society of Surgeons, medical students, postgraduates besides his friends whosoever got the news of his sudden death.

Late Prof. Manzar Salim (third from left) along with Lt.Gen. Mahmud A.Akhtar and Dr. M. B. Rokni from Tehran University of Medical Sciences chairing one of the sessions during the First National Conference on Medical Editing held at AMC Rawalpindi in April 2007.

Prof. Manzar Salim graduated from Dow Medical College Karachi in 1976 and earned his Fellowship in Surgery from Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh in 1984. He was very active in student politics and was elected as General Secretary of Dow Medical College Students Union in 1974. During his postgraduate training he served at many hospitals in UK. On return to Pakistan he was appointed Assistant Professor of Surgery at Nawabshah Medical College where he served from 1985-88 when he was transferred to Dow Medical College Karachi. He also served as Professor and Head of the Dept. of Surgery at Karachi Medical and Dental College from 1995-97 when he was again transferred back to DMC as Prof. of Surgery.

Prof. Manzar Salim had a brilliant academic record.  He was a position and scholarship holder in Inter Science examination. In First and Second Professional MBBS examination, he earned distinction in Anatomy. He was examiner in surgery at various universities in the country and trained a large number of postgraduates. He was a member of numerous professional Societies and Associations, Society of Surgeons of Pakistan, Pakistan Medical Journalists Association and Eastern Mediterranean Association of Medical Editors (EMAME) and WAME to mention a few. However, some of his most outstanding contributions were to academics when he served as Editor of Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan and later became Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Surgery which he not only revived and got recognized from Pakistan Medical and Dental Council but ensured its regular publication till his death. He served on the Editorial Board of many journals besides acting as Reviewers.  He infused new life in the dormant Society of Surgeons of Pakistan and also served as its President. During his tenure as President, the Society of Surgeons remained quite active holding seminars and symposia.

On left Prof. Manzar Salim receiving a shield from Prof. Mrs. Jahan Ara Pal at the First NCME at AMC in April 2007 while on right Prof. Masood Hameed VC DUHS presenting Prof. Manzar Salim certificate of appreciation during the Workshop on Medical Editing and Peer Review organized by PMJA-EMAME recently.

In recognition of his devotion and dedication to the cause of medical journalism he was elected as General Secretary of Pakistan Medical Journalists Association (PMJA) during the First National Conference on Medical Editing held at Army Medical College Rawalpindi in April 2007.  He was one of the facilitators for the workshops on Medical Editing and Peer Review which the PMJA has started organizing all over the country and actively contributed during the last two workshops held at NICH and DUHS recently.  Again it was in recognition of his organizational capabilities and interest in academics that he was elected as Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean  Association of Medical Editors conference likely to be held in Pakistan in 2010 at an informal meeting of the organizing committee held at PMA House  on July 30^th 2008. He had more than fifty publications to his credit.

Soon after his death the very next day, Faculty of Surgery at DUHS held a condolence meeting in Surgical Ward-II which was very well attended. Prof. Nahid Sultan, Dr.Amjad Siraj, Dr. Shams Nadeem Alam, Prof. Juniad Ashraf, Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid and few others paid him rich tributes.  The speakers recalled that late Prof. Manzar Salim was a man of principles; he used to take a clear stand on issues without realizing the consequences. He was a perfectionist, strict in discipline something which was at times not liked by the postgraduates as well as his colleagues.

Late Prof. Manzar Salim photographed along with his colleagues, postgraduates, residents members of his team at Surgical Unit-II, Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Condolence meeting at DUHS

Dow University of Health Sciences formally organized a condolence meeting on August 20^th in Moin Auditorium. Many senior surgeons, retired faculty members, teachers of DUHS, postgraduates and medical students were present.  Dr. Saleem Ilyas conducted the proceedings which started with recitation of few verses from Holy Quran by Prof. Saleem Marfani from Surah Al Imran “Death every soul shall taste”.

Dr. Shams Nadeem Alam Associate Professor in Surgical Unit-II and a colleague of late Prof. Manzar Saleem then made a brief presentation highlighting salient features of late Prof. Manzar Salim’s life starting from his school days at BVS Parsi High School through Dow Medical College till his death. The presentation was supplemented with a large number of rare pictures which threw light on the multifaceted personality of late Prof. Manzar Salim his interest in music, enjoying picnic parties with the unit staff, organizing conferences, seminars and symposia.

Late Prof. Manzar Salim was fond of music as well. Picture shows him singing at one of the functions which he organized recently.

A message from the Vice Chancellor DUHS Prof. Masood Hameed Khan who was out of the country, was also read on this occasion who paid him rich tributes. Others who spoke on the occasion included Dr. Aslam Siddiqui who said that he was a good organizer. Dr. Misbahul Aziz who was elected as President of Dow Medical College Students Union in 1974 when Dr.Manzar Salim was elected General Secretary recalled his long association. Late Prof. Manzar Salim, he said, was known as Manzar Abba just because of his affectionate personality. Prof. Manzar Salim, he said, belonged to DMC batch of 1976 and it was this class which first came up with the idea of doing something for their Alma Matter, thus it built the Emergency Operation Theatre in which late Prof. Manzar Salim actively participated. It is just a coincidence that when his body was brought to Civil Hospital Karachi, Prof. Saeed Qureshi suggested that it should be kept in the Emergency OT in air-conditioned environment till all other formalities are completed. Hence he left this world from this Emergency OT. He suggested to the DUHS administration to talk to the Civil Hospital authorities and name this OT in memory of late Prof. Manzar Salim.

Prof. Nahid Sultan spoke about exceptional organizational capabilities of late Prof. Manzar Salim who she said, was immensely interested in academics. Dr. Nizamuddin said that being a perfectionist, he would spend hours editing pictures on the computer while finalizing the Surgeons Society Newsletter and often worked late in the ward to edit papers for the Pakistan Journal of Surgery.  Dr. Shafiq Baig recalled the time which he spent with late Dr. Manzar Salim while serving at Nawabshah Medical College and how affectionate he used to be. Prof. Irshad Waheed recalled that 1976 batch of DMC had many brilliant students Manzar Salim being one of them. During the elections to students union, the atmosphere was very tense and I was the Election Commissioner. He came to me and said that he should go ahead and hold fair elections and his group will extend all possible help and support to achieve that in a peaceful atmosphere which was very encouraging.

Prof. Salahuddin Asfar Principal of Dow Medical College in his speech said that late Manzar Salim was a man with many qualities. He was a good teacher, someone who was always seen in white coat in the ward. He was centre of attraction. DUHS will be holding its first Convocation shortly and the students getting highest marks in Surgery will be awarded Prof. Manzar Salim Gold Medal while the issue of naming the Emergency Operation Theatre in his name will also be taken up with the authorities. After the condolence meeting when I was leaving the auditorium, one of the participants came and whispered in my ear that “it was all these qualities which have been enumerated to day by various speakers because of which he was always sidelined by the establishment. They never utilized his talent to the fullest and what was the use of recalling his qualities after his death”. I had no answer and just kept quiet.

I wish some postgraduates and trainees of late Prof. Manzar Salim as well as his children or family members were also invited to say a few words on this occasion. However, this did not happen for reasons best known to the organizers.

Condolence meeting by
Society of Surgeons

Society of Surgeons Pakistan Karachi Chapter also organized a condolence meeting on Monday August 25^th at PMA House Karachi.  Speaking at the occasion Prof. Khalid Mahmood a Councilor of CPSP and Prof. of Surgery at KM&DC/ASH who is also President of Karachi Chapter of SSP paid him rich tributes. He called late Prof. Manzar Salim his mentor who guided and trained many surgeons like him. Since he was very strict disciplinarian, some of his colleagues and postgraduates, Prof. Khalid Mahmood said, were always afraid of him. He was not only a good administrator but had immense leadership qualities. His literary interest was not known to many though he had lot of extra curricular activities.  He had such a personality that he had friends on both sides of the political divide in the right as well as in the left camp. He also commended his services as Editor of JCPSP while he was the moving spirit behind the success of Pakistan Journal of Surgery of which he was the Chief Editor. He was a good surgeon and as a member of the DMC Class of 1976 doing something for their Alma Matter in the shape of Emergency Operation Theatre was his idea. Thus he set a tradition which was followed by the other Classes of DMC who took inspiration from his pioneering effort.

Dr. Shams Nadeem Alam made a presentation on the life of Prof. Manzar Salim starting from his school days to last days in DMC as Professor of Surgery. It highlighted different aspects of his personality and his interests.

It was indeed heartening to listen to the letter which Prof.Khalid Masood Gondal wrote to Prof.Attaur Rehman on the sad demise of Prof. Manzar Salim. Dr. Saif read this letter wherein Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal Prof .of Surgery at King Edward University and Regional Director of CPSP Lahore admitted that Prof. Manzar Salim had played a key role in bringing the present CPSP Council during the elections. In this letter he also recalled numerous qualities of Prof. Manzar Salim and said that Society of Surgeons Pakistan will take some steps to pay ever lasting homage to Prof. Manzar Salim in its next meeting.

Prof. Surgeon Shamim also paid rich tributes to Prof.Manzar Salim and acknowledged his organizational capabilities, academic interest while Dr. Iqbal Hashmi read one of Prof. Manzar’s poem which he had said while in Final Year of MBBS. Sindh Health Minister Dr. Sagheer Ahmad also spoke on the occasion and expressed his sympathies with the surgeons, his colleagues as well as family members in particular and medical profession in general. Later Dr. Saif along with the participants offered Fateha for the departed soul.

I personally knew late Prof. Manzar Salim since his college days at DMC and as a young doctor. He actively participated in the young doctor’s struggle for better working conditions in late 1970s which forced the then most powerful Prime Minister of Pakistan to hold negotiations with the young doctors lead by Pakistan Doctors Organization and announce many benefits. Prof. Manzar Salim never knew “Munafqat” quite rampant in the medical profession. He had the courage to take a stand, disagree on issues which was often quite unpalatable for the administration and he had to pay a heavy price for all that. However, he never compromised. A very contented person as a surgeon; he believed and practiced ethical medicine. If he was critical of others, he always welcomed constructive criticism. When he was organizing the Silver Jubilee Conference of Society of Surgeons of Pakistan, he arranged an open debate on the “Image of surgeons in the Society” chaired by Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid inviting people from cross section of the society. Let them say what they want to say and we must know where we stand as surgeons in the society. That is the only way we can improve ourselves, he maintained.

Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Society of Surgeons being an important occasion, Prof. Manzar Salim also arranged video interviews of all the founder members of SSP to highlight their achievements and accomplishments which were shown at the social evening. To arrange and organize this, he along with his team members and video recording equipment visited all the former founder members of the Society and eminent surgeons at their homes spending lot of time. This was something which was very much appreciated by all those interviewed.

Editing a medical journal is a very uphill task and as Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Surgery Prof. Manzar Salim helped a large number of healthcare professionals to publish their manuscripts. He often used to rewrite, revise and improve the manuscripts before they were finally published, the help and assistance which many of  his surgical colleagues will now miss. He felt sad when the journal was shifted to upcountry and eventually it ceased publication and was de-recognized by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. He revived the journal, got it recognized and in fact this journal had become his second love.

When the movement started to bring a change in the leadership of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, he played a vital role in the last elections. It was his exceptional organizational capabilities that the entire panel which he along with his colleagues had floated and contested the elections won bagging all the seats from Karachi. For this he had to work day and night though he was not a Fellow of the College. CPSP elections in which the entire group under the patronage of Prof. Sultan Farooqui was defeated (he could not save his own seat as well) was no less than a revolution and a miracle. However, he was assured that in the very first Council meeting he will be awarded an Honorary FCPS. Once the elections were over, those who used to ring him up over half a dozen time daily forgot that there is a surgeon by the name of Prof. Manzar Salim in Karachi. What to talk of offering him the Honorary Fellowship, he was not even considered to become an Examiner. At the Convocation at Karachi, I reminded two Councilors from upcountry whether they knew someone by the name of Prof. Manzar Salim. They got the message but then kept quiet.

As always happens after every successful revolution those who assume power try to sideline, eliminate and get rid of those who helped them to reach there. That is exactly how the CPSP leadership treated late Prof. Manzar Salim.  During our meetings, he often expressed his concern and resentment that the new Council has not done enough and what was expected of them by the postgraduates as well as the Fellows. He was never consulted on various issues despite the fact that he was instrumental in bringing this change. His sudden death has saved his “friends” in the CPSP from the embarrassment of fulfilling some of the promises.

Thematic session dedicated to Prof. Manzar Salim

One of the thematic sessions during the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Conference held at Karachi from August 30-31, 2008 was dedicated to Prof. Manzar Salim. Dr. Misbahul Aziz, Chairman Organizing Committee of the conference paid rich tributes to Prof. Manzar Salim and lauded his services in the field of surgery and academic medicine. He was a good surgeon, a noted educationist, who has many scientific papers in various index journals to his credit. He was also active in union activities during his student life. Dr. Misbah prayed Almighty Allah to grant eternal peace and give Mugfhfarat to Prof. Manzar Salem. Prof. Rasheed Jooma, DG Health who was the chief guest in this session also condoled the death of Prof. Manzar Salim.

Condolence by PMJA

Pakistan Medical Journalists Association (PMJA) in its workshop on Medical Editing and Peer Review held at Shifa College of Medicine Islamabad on August 30^th also condoled the sad demise of its General Secretary Prof. Manzar Salim. Speaking in the inaugural session Prof. Major Gen. M.Aslam President of PMJA paid him rich tributes and Fateha was also offered for the departed soul.

I always had a very close professional association with him as an Editor.  The last official function Pakistan Medical Journalists Association organized was at Civil Hospital Karachi in Dept. of Paediatric on Medical Writing. Though he was busy in the Operation Theatre on that day but when I requested him to come for a few minutes in the concluding session and personally present a gift of books for the departmental library on behalf of  PMJA as its General Secretary, he obliged me. We were all set to travel as a group to represent Pakistan in the EMAME conference scheduled to be held in Bahrain in November this year. At an informal meeting that we held at PMA House in JPMA office last month, Prof. Manzar Salim was elected as Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the EMAME Conference likely to be held in Pakistan in 2010. We in the PMJA will miss him a lot.

A young surgeon and academician who lived such a busy life also had some problems was not known to me. We are all human beings and have our weaknesses and so was late Prof.Manzar Salim. According to unconfirmed reports, he had a disturbed family life. Doctors see the life and death so closely every day, are often over worked but it is essential that they must spare some time and look after their family life as well. When my son Dr. Masood Jawaid who was one of his trainees, rang me up at about 12.00 in the afternoon informing me that Prof. Manzar Salim is dead, I could not believe it. I called him again to confirm what he had just told me and it was true.  Prof. Manzar Salim had left this world, his journey suddenly coming to an end. May God Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace? Ameen.

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