Hamid Rehman, an Edhi for Karachi journalists

Wearing a jacket like press photographers, he is often seen covering important news conferences, seminars, protests and important events in the city and appears to be an ordinary reporter of a TV channel but those who know him closely, consider Hamid as the Abdus Sattar Edhi or a Messiah for the Karachi journalists.
Hamid-ur-Rehman Awan, commonly known as Hamid bhai among his friends and fraternity, is not an ordinary journalist or a reporter by any means.
“Hamid bhai is a remarkable person. He covers health and education beats and whenever, I need a tip, any contact or even a story, I call him and he is always there for help and assistance. There are surely not many journalists and reporters like him around these days”, Fatima, a reporter associated with a local English daily says about Hamid.
But Hamid bhai is not popular only among fellow reporters and colleagues. He is the most sought out guys at Karachi Press Club (KPC) where he is the Secretary of the KPC’s Health Fitness and Environment Committee and in this position, he is the Mother Theresa of the KPC members and employees.
“Whenever a member of the Karachi Press Club needs any advice regarding health matters he approaches Hamid bhai. He arranges awareness seminars and conferences on health issues for KPC members and common people, holds medical camps for the medical examinations of the members but he also help out journalists facing health issues and linking them with the concerned doctors”, Secretary of the KPC A.H Khanzada says.
“Since we have handed over the health affairs of the KPC to Hamid bhai, we feel quite content. He is one of the most active members and heads of the committees we have so far. Health of our members is being dealt with utmost care by Hamid bhai”, he claims.
Many of the KPC members and even the employees regularly contact Hamid bhai in case they have any health problem, when any of their children is sick and they want to know where to take him for the treatment. Most Often, he is the only person, they contact to know which hospital to approach when they are having any addition in their families and they can have some concession in getting their baby babies delivered.
But Hamid bhai is not only popular among journalists as many known doctors and Public Relation Officers (PROs) of health institutions consider him as the only bridge between them and the working journalists, especially those covering health and related issues.
Many doctors and PROs daily contact Hamid bahi whenever they need to clarify a wrong news item published in any local newspaper or aired by any news TV channel. He is also considered as the liasian between doctors and reporters and many journalists only come to know about important health events, press conferences and seminars through Hamid bhai.
Despite all his utility and importance among his fellows, Hamid bhai is a humble and down to earth person.
“I joined this profession (journalism) to serve people and that is what I’m doing. If people are get rid of their miseries, if they know that there is always a person there who can assist them in getting their news stories done or help out them to find out the most suitable person for their health issues, I feel quite satisfied”, he says when asked to comment about himself.
Hamid says it was the student organization, he worked with during his educational days that motivated him to help out others. “As a student activist, I was supposed to help out student, guide them and resolve their day to day issues. When I joined journalism, I continued this practice. I’m not doing anything extraordinary”, he observes.
Having a masters degree in Mass Communication, Hamid is married with a son and says he is raising his only child with same motivation.
“I want to see my son a successful person but I want him also to do the things what I’m doing and that is helping out others. You are a useless person if you are useless to people around around you even if you are the most competent and successful persons in your field. I don’t want my son to be considered as an arrogant person”, Hamid says when asked about what he has in mind for his family.

Written by M. Waqar Bhatti