Identity: Renowned physician, author, educationist, former Governor of Sindh, and a beloved writer for children

Hakeem Muhammad Saeed was born on 9 January 1920 in Delhi into an educated and medical family. His ancestors migrated from Kashgar (present-day Xinjiang, China) to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal era. His family made significant contributions to Unani medicine and established Hamdard Waqf Laboratories before the partition.

During his early education, he gained proficiency in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and English. He later earned a B.Pharmacy degree and a BSc in medicinal chemistry from the University of Delhi, followed by a Master’s degree in 1945. In 1952, he obtained a PhD in Pharmacy from Ankara University.

After the creation of Pakistan, he migrated to Karachi and re-established Hamdard Laboratories. In 1948, he founded the Hamdard Foundation, which became a center for numerous projects in education, healthcare, and social welfare.

In the field of medicine, he worked to harmonize Eastern (Unani) and Western medical systems. He was among the key figures who played an important role in gaining global recognition for Eastern medicine, even highlighting its importance at the World Health Organization (WHO).

His greatest contribution to education was the establishment of Hamdard University, which is part of the vast educational complex known as Madinat al-Hikmah. It includes institutions for medicine, engineering, IT, social sciences, law, and more, while Bait al-Hikmah is one of the largest libraries in Pakistan.

Hakeem Muhammad Saeed also made remarkable contributions to literature and research. He authored or compiled over 200 books on medicine, science, religion, philosophy, history, ethics, and children’s literature.

He edited several journals, including Hamdard Medicus, Hamdard Islamicus, Hamdard-e-Sehat, and Hamdard Naunehal.

He also established two important national forums: Hamdard Shura (for intellectuals) and the Naunehal Assembly (for children).

In 1981, he became a founding member of the World Cultural Council.

He also served in the political sphere as Governor of Sindh from 19 July 1993 to 23 January 1994.

He was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (1966) and posthumously the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (2002) by the Government of Pakistan. His birth anniversary, 9 January, is observed as “Children’s Day” in Pakistan.

Death: On the morning of 17 October 1998, he was assassinated in a firing incident outside his clinic in the Aram Bagh area of Karachi.