Freedom Fighters’ Gallery
Hakim Ajmal Khan
by
Isam Hanif Majeed
Hakim Ajmal Khan was born in Delhi in 1886. It is said that Hakim was a fantastic physician of Eastern medicine. Hakim first memorized the Quran and then studied Arabic and Persian. He learnt medicine from his senior relatives, who also used to practice Unani medicine. After completing his medical studies in 1892, he became the chief physician to the Nawab of Rampur. He was given titles such as Massiha-e-Hind (The Healer of India) and the King Without a Crown.
Hakim Ajmal Khan took such great interest in the expansion of Unani medicine that he built three important institutions: the Central College in Delhi, the Hindustani Dawakhana and the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, which is now known as the Tibbia College in Delhi.
In 1906, when the All India Muslim League was formed, Hakim Ajmal actively took part in the meetings. He was the one to unite the Muslim leaders with Mahatama Gandhi at a time, when many influential Muslim leaders were getting arrested.
Only one person had been elected as the President of the Indian National Congress, All India Muslim League and All India Khilafat Committee, and that person was Hakim Ajmal Khan. He was given the honourable title of Haziq-ul-Mulk.
Hakim Ajmal passed away due to heart problems in 1927. His grandson Hakim Muhammad Nabi learned Unani medicine and opened up branches of Dawakhana Hakim Ajmal Khan all over Pakistan.
“We are now all Pakistanis, we must feel, behave and act and we should be proud to be known as Pakistanis and nothing else.” (Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision for every Pakistani)