*PA 100587 Lt Gen Mustafa Kamal Akbar ( 11 Feb 1939 - 9 Oct 2024), AMC, ex Surgen General, and Eye Specialist . A life well- lived , left a mark. A soul may depart, but memories remain*
Lt Gen Mustafa Kamal Akbar , AMC , ex surgeon general and eye specialist, was the son of PA 43 Brig Abidali Khan Akbar , 5/5 Maratha Light Infantry & Punjab Regiment . His grandfather and great-grandfather were from 7th Hariana Lancers , which later became 18 Cavalry, and went to India in 1947 as part of the share ( for more information about his family see the post, _A Legacy of Honour : Five Generations in the Army_).
Mustafa Kamal was born on 11 Feb 1939 . Joined King Edward Medical College, Lahore, in 1955. Commissioned on 31 Jan 1961. Served in all three services . Sqn Ldr ( 1966- 69) and Surg Cdre ( 1987- 90). Retired on 10 Feb 1999. I found out him to be a humble , lively, straightforward, helpful , practical person with no ego or protocol issues . Never boasted about his achievements and family background. He had an elephant's memory , a great storyteller ... narrated many to me .
Because of his father, he had seen and met many senior officers at a young age at his house next to Denny's School , on Saif Ullah Lohdi ,Road , Rawalpindi Cantt
Mustafa Kamal was an all-rounder sportsman , excelled particularly in squash and tennis . In tennis, Gen Ziaul Haq used to be his partner in Rawalpindi . He had a record in blood donations in Pakistan , more than 200 times ( exact figure, his younger brother, Ali Akbar, can confirm ).
Gen Mustafa was also a great philanthropist . A couple of times, he took me to sports shop in Saddar , Rawalpindi, and purchased games and sports goods for children of Special Children Education Centre, Bhera. He himself, being a Lt Gen, visited Nankari Bazaar , near Raja Bazaar , Rawlpindi, and purchased bulk stitching material for the girls of Special Children School. Whenever he visited my house he brought small gifts and souvenirs for my children. He was fond of sharing posts on a variety of subjects, almost every day . He was such a senior officer with whom you could talk anything he would not mind . He told me about his last operation, not to be communicated to anyone . I would say he was a real old timer who served with dedication and dignity and spent a retired life with a purpose , grace, and honour .
He passed away in CMH Rawalpindi on 9 Oct 2024 , aged 85. My Allah Almighty bless his soul! Ameen. Lt Gen Mustafa Kamal Akbar will be remembered forever .
Zahid Mumtaz
