An Interview with a hero of KP – Irfan Ullah Jan
Irfan Ullah Jan, a resident of the tribal District of Kurram lost both of his legs during an IED blast in his home town while returning from school on 25th of July 2011. Irfan was provided with prosthetic legs at the Armed Institute of Rehabilitation and this became a turning point in his life when he decided to work for society and a better Pakistan. It took him several years to establish a Non-for-Profit organization named FATA Disable Welfare Organization. He obtained scholarships and enrolled thousands of differently able and non-privileged students in education institutions.
Irfan Ullah Jan himself was studying in fourth grade at the time of the incident but today enrolled in the prestigious Islamia College University as a student of BS Political Science and this incident only cost him six months of his academic life.
In an interview with Anmol Sheraz, the host of VoKP’s Heroes of KP program, Irfan Ullah Jan said that he had two options; one was to become a burden over family and society and the second was to provide his shoulders for the uplifting of victims of land mines and bring a positive change in the society—and he chooses the later.
On a question related to the societal hurdles for special persons, Irfan Ullah Jan said that our people lack education, social norms and communication, but we need to feel empathetic towards the people who are differently able. Exemplifying himself, Irfan Ullah Jan said that he was fortunate for having such friends and family who did not let him feel any different from them. Irfan Ullah run awareness campaigns among victims of land mines and said that we do not have to leave everything to the government and should act as responsible citizens.
Talking about the land mines issue, Irfan said that it is still a problem of greater concern in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs), especially in North and South Waziristan.
On the question of any demands from the government, Irfan Ullah said that the two per cent education quota, if provided properly, will be much beneficial for persons with disability. “Pak Army has played a significant role for us in the education sector. Previous Corps Commander Mazhar Shaheen, on our request, has approved a 10 % quota in the Army Public Schools (APS) and today 18 differently-abled students are studying in different availing fully funded scholarships”.
The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan bestowed Irfan Ullah Jan with the Presidential Award on 14 August 2021 as an acknowledgement of his services and social work.
In his message for the youth of Pakistan, Irfan Ullah Jan said that they can materialise their dreams through hard work. “Facilities and luxuries don’t work, it’s just hard work that can bring you success and one can do nothing without the hard work”. He said that if Pakistani youth started to utilize their energies in a positive manner, then no one can stop Pakistan from prosperity and development.
