LAHORE, Oct 17: Rich tributes were paid to Hakim Said for his services in the fields of education, literature, social service and health at a meeting held to observe his fourth death anniversary here on Thursday.

Former president Rafiq Tarar, who presided over the meeting held by the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Foundation and the Pakistan Movement Workers Trust, said Hakim Said was a great intellectual of international repute and a great exponent of unani system of medicine.

He said the Madinatul Hikmat established in Karachi by him was a great complex of many institutions consisting of a Hamdard school for over 5,000 children, a medical complex, a science museum, a university, a library and a colony for the staff and other buildings.

He said Hakim Said was himself an institution who had devoted his life for the promotion of education and unani system of medicine.

Former federal law minister and Hamdard thinkers forum chairman S.M. Zafar said Hakim Said’s message for the present generation was: “If you have decided and are determined to take up a project, work hard to complete it and never be discouraged by the hardships on the way.” He said Hakim Sahib had followed this principle throughout his life and worked hard to fulfil his mission.

He said after partition, Hakim Said had decided to migrate to Pakistan from India to start his medical practice here.

He said unlike other trust properties and auqaf in the country, the Hamdard Waqf was unique in the sense that its entire income was declared by Hakim Said for charitable purposes.

However, he was allowed to have a small portion of it for his personal expenses. On this ground, his waqf was exempted from payment of income tax. He said he considered Hakim Said the modern Socrates as both had shed their blood for the cause of truth.

Former Punjab University vice-chancellor Dr Rafiq Ahmad said Hakim Said was a great social reformer who had devoted his life for the service of the people and worked for the collective good of the nation. His service for the promotion of education and eastern medicine would never be forgotten, he said.

Others who addressed included Bushra Rahman, Dr Agha Yameen, Hakim Rahat Naseem Sohadarvi, Brig Zafar Iqbal (retired), Dr Muniuruddin Chughtai and Abdul Jabbar Shakir.