My Dad Haji Sheikh Karim Bakhsh

My dad Sheikh Karim Bakhsh was born on February 28, 1900 in Kapurthala, Punjab, India. He was eldest child and had two younger brothers and two younger sisters. He was 6 feet tall, of fair complexion, and had blue eyes. He was married some time around 1920 -1921, and had ten children who survived childhood. Eight of them are alive. However, my eldest brother Abdul Khaliq and younger brother Abdul Majid have passed away.

My grand dad, Noor Ahmed, was not well off and had operated a small general store in Kupurthala, India. Despite this, my dad completed his high school education (12 grades), which was rare in those days. My dad’s uncle, Abdul Aziz, who was the family patriarch, and employed in a good position in the Indian Post and Telegraph Department, helped him to get a job in his department. However, my dad got big break in his life when his uncle, Abdul Aziz, sponsored his trip to Scotland around 1921-22, a few months after he got married and left my mom with his parents. He accompanied his cousin Captain Jamal Din (Abdul Aziz’s son who later became a Colonel in British India Army) to Edinburgh.

Colonel Jamal Din qualified as doctor in the Indian Medical Service in 1912 from Edinburgh and returned to India. Maharaja of Kapurthala had a grand reception for Colonel Jamal Din when he returned to India from Edinburgh. He served in the Indian army at Amritsar, Basra, and Dehra Dun among many places. It is interesting to note that one of his kids was born in Basra in Iraq where all the fighting is going even now.

Now going back to my dad journey to Edinburgh. He was sent to keep company of Captain Jamal Din who was to get training and pass the Member of Royal College of Gynecologist examination. Captain Jamal Din’s wife, and three kids Saleema, Jamil, and Saeed also accompanied him. My dad utilized his time in Edinburgh to pass part 1 of the Institute of Electrical Engineers examination. He could not complete the final part of the examination because he had to come back to India because Captain Jamal Din’s wife was pregnant with Sajeela Khan. His wife did not want to have the baby in UK. This is quite a contrast to the recent practice where people come to have babies in the west.

After his return from Edinburgh, he was appointed as engineering supervisor in the Indian Post and Telegraph Department. He continued his education by correspondence and finally became graduate member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers London some time around 1928-30. However, by this time by Indian Post and Telegraph Department standards he was too old at 30 to be selected as a young officer. He was subsequently promoted as assistant engineer and progressed thru the ranks to retire as deputy chief engineer in the Pakistan Post and Telegraph Department, at Karachi, in 1956

The book, “History of the Pakistan Telegraph and Telephone Department” has following observations about my dad:

“Mr. Karim Bakhsh was a selfless and a scrupulously honest officer and a very hard working one. He was serving as a Assistant Engineer Phones in Delhi for the Maintenance of the Connaught Place (New Delhi) telephone exchange. After partition, The Pakistan Post and Telegraph Department requested M/S GEC to send their representative for exchange installation work at Lahore but they declined. Mr. Karim Bakhsh was then deputed by the Directorate General to take the work in hand.”

“In spite of all the handicaps, the equipment at Lahore Cantonment, Lyalpur, and Rawalpindi was installed during 1948 and 1949 ahead of schedule. Mr. Karim Bakhsh was awarded three advance increments by the Minister for Communications for important installation work done by him. After partition, Mr. Karim Bakhsh was promoted as Divisional Engineer.”

His reputation for hard work, integrity, and honesty was such that even after his retirement, one of his former German colleagues sent him airline tickets and money after his retirement to perform Haj get his advice on starting telecommunication network in Saudi Arabia.

After retirement, to support me and my other siblings thru college, my dad moved to Haripur, Hazara and worked at telephone factory, until 1961. Thereafter, he came back to Karachi, and lived there until he died on August 13, 1984.

My wife Tanzila who saw her later in Karachi, remembers him for white beard and piercing blue eyes. She does not remember him raising his voice. He used to sit out side in the veranda, always reading. He also walked every where and never had a car. Her most vivid memories is having breakfast at 6:30 or 7:00 AM. He will take the plates and cups out, and set the table while Amman made breakfast in the kitchen. He will always have a fried egg and toast. People used to get come medication from him. He used to practice Homeopathic medicine and gave out little white pills.

My niece Assiya has reminded me that her grandmother from the other side had so much faith in him that she would only get better with his medicines. Sajeela Khan, the daughter of Colonel Jamal Din tell me that my dad was a dear cousin friend of her father.

I believe his legacy his unique work to help Pakistan after his birth to establish telecommunication system under tough and demanding conditions when the British experts left the country. The Ghausia Masjid in PECHS Pakistan near the house he lived which he helped build. I still remember him walking around the neighborhood and knocking at the doors to get donations for the mosque, and being chased out by servants and dogs. The Ghausia Masjid is a vibrant institution. However, his main legacy was his siblings and children whom he helped raise and educate against all odds. One his younger brother, whom he raised like a son, went on to become famous physician who help treat and cure thousands from the deadly disease of Tuberculosis.

All of his sons followed him in the engineering profession.

I also wanted to integrate the following information from my nephew Zouhair Khaliq into the write-up but due to lack of time and am for the present leaving it alone below.


My Dear Uncle HaiI
I read the portrait of Abbaji with deep emotion and fond memories! I wastraveling last week in Barcelona as part of the attendance at the annual3GSM conference and was unable to write back.There is a great book called the "History of the Telecom Industry inPakistan" written by Mr. Yousaf Raza, which incidentally mentions withgreat respect not only Abbaji as one of the pioneers of Telecom inPakistan but my father as well. There is I believe still a part of theLahore Telecom Exchange which bears Abbaji's signature as he certifiedthe operational readiness of the exchange.

The book mentions that Shiekh Karim Baksh was instrumental in launchingthe first "electronic" exchange in Pakistan while Shiekh Abdul Khaliqwas the pioneer in launching the first "digital" exchange in Pakistan.(Incidentally I was involved in the launch of the first "GSM cellular"exchange in Pakistan - carrying on in the 3rd generation the pioneeringwork of two distinguished people!)

Everywhere I go in Islamabad even today I am very proud to be known bythe old timers here as the son of Shiekh Abdul Khaliq and the grandsonof Shiekh Karim Baksh- which just shows the legacy they have created -honesty, integrity, dedication and sincerity- none of which one canpurchase

My own memories of Abbaji are mostly around the time I was away studying in England. He would write long letters full of advice (sometimes correcting my grammar and also objecting to my admittedly terrible handwriting!!) and support to me regularly and I would look forward to receiving them and reading them. Although never overtly affectionate he always showed the most caring attitude both in his letters and when I went to visit in Pakistan. His advice and suggestions are as relevant and valuable to me today as they were then, as I sought to find my wayas a young person. His words always guided me to the right path at a time when I was surrounded by all kinds of new distractions.

What I will never forget is the afternoon that he passed away. I wasalone in our home in Islamabad, Ammi having flown to Karachi with thegirls at the news of Abbaji having fallen and hurt himself in anaccident, as he walked back from Ghausia Masjid after prayers, as hewould insist on doing 5 times a day. Abbu was on tour in Japan and I had stayed behind as I had just started a new job. I came back early from work that day and fell asleep on my bed and dreamt that Abbaji came upto me, put his hand on my shoulder and then stepped back and waved. I woke up immediately with the phone ringing and my Khala was on the phone to tell me that Abbaji had just passed away a few minutes ago. I canonly guess the extent of his love and care as he came to say Khuda Hafizto me in that final moment! I will always remember him with thegreatest of respect and admiration. I am so very conscious that I am theeldest of the eldest son of a great and humble man and that I mustalways live up to his legacy!With fond regards

Zouhair Khaliq