'Handicapped are as good as normal beings': Sarmad Tariq to drive Khyber to Karachi in 30 hours non-stop

A young Pakistani suffering from paralysis is out to set some ambitious goals for his handicapped fraternity. "They are as good as any normal being, if only they exploit the potential God has bestowed to everyone."
Sarmad Tariq in late 20s wants to drive non-stop from Khyber to Karachi (nicknamed K2K project), a distance of 1800 km, within a record time of 30 hours--quite an uncommon feat for motorists in general.
With him in the car will be two college mates, Amer and Mushtaq, to assist him in case of need.
Robust, cheerful but somewhat half bent because of the ailment, (he is paralysed from shoulder downward), Sarmad wants empowerment and not sympathy from society.
Despite limited movements by wheel chair, he would demonstrate that will power and commitment to a cause could enrich life and broaden the horizon of the disabled.
Already, in Pakistan, several handicapped are role models in society, like Farida Shah of Karachi and Mrs Salma Maqbool of Rawalpindi, for the blind. There are many others who have excelled in academics, music and social service.
Sarmad is heading to be one such pioneer in matters of physical endurance, stamina and enterprise.
Already, he has succeeded in overcoming the lifelong disability.
In his school days, in Gujranwala, he was fond of swimming. Once he dived in the nearby canal and unfortunately dashed his head against a rock. Three vertebrae of his neck were smashed into pieces and he fell unconscious. He remained so for many days.
Studies were held and soon it came out that he had been paralysed below his neck. Shoulders and legs were numb and lifeless, except for some feeble movement in the hands. For three years, he was bedridden. If was enough for one to be sidelined in life, but his will power and care of his family members brought him back to "normal" life.
He pursued his studies privately and completed his intermediate examination. Later he graduated and took Master's degree in Management. This earned him a professional career with a consultative agency in 1998.
But he felt his duty must be to create awareness in the society that the handicapped can do amazing things, if given the proper environment. The message he would carry driving through the major cities of the country along the GT Road that given the right facilities, the handicapped can be useful and productive citizens.
The wheel-chaired fraternity must be given a friendly environment. What they need is empowerment and not mere sympathy.
He told a press conference here on Friday that blessed with all other faculties, the handicapped have the potential to do remarkable things. The society needs to change its perception that the handicapped cannot be full members of the society. "Not sympathy but empowerment" with all attendant facilities is his message.
But in society whose majority--politicians, business community, bureaucracy, academia and now even scientists--are largely obsessed with pelf and greed, the message would take a long time to sink in.
The government does not have the funds to offer much to the common citizen, what to speak of the disabled ones. Nor does the civil society measure up to the situation.
Sarmad Tariq proposes to start from Peshawar after Eid-ul-Azha and reach Karachi in 30 hours non-stop drive.
He would stop for fuel or emergency. He would not meet the press en route as, in that case, he would miss the challenging target he has set for himself. Getting down the car and settling back into his seat takes about half an hour, he said.
In a press release given to media, he said " the objective of his drive is to cover the distance in the shortest time ever by a quadriplegic keeping in mind the traffic hazards and his physical limitation.
The overall rationale of the project is to raise awareness about the potential of people with disabilities.
"Any form of physical disability is not the end of the world. Accidents can happen with anyone, anywhere, any time. The important thing is to accept the limitations and, at the same time, not to give up on one's dreams. The dream to strive for what we believe in..... The dream to reach where one wants to go.....The important thing is to keep trying..... the path is not easy, but it is not impossible either."
The sponsors of the project include ABN Amro Bank, Navitus, FFC, TCS, Supreme, Energile and Pirelli tyres.