Dr Farook is busy constructing his home in Lahore these days. The 82-year-old Saudi doctor usually spends most of the day at a site. In the evening, he loves watching Pakistan’s current affairs and sport shows. 

During weekends his passion project - the Pakistan Kidney Centre in Abbotabad - gets all his attention. He makes himself available for patients as well as staff at the hospital. People around him express concern over his commitment to so many projects at the same time. His always responds with a wide grin. “I am with my family, Pakistan,” he almost always answers with the one-liner. It is rare to find so much Pakistaniyat in a Saudi man. 

At 5 feet and 6 inches, Kashmiri born; Dr Farook Rasheed Farooqui has a lean frame and white hair reflecting the everlasting spring of his life. He loves to read Iqbal and Islamic books and constantly seeks the real meaning of self and selflessness.

Even though he allowed his sons to explore the world, he himself returned to his roots. "One day, they may follow my footsteps and return,” says the man who never hesitates in helping strangers even in the most challenging circumstances.  

Just over 60 years ago, a young bright doctor who was finishing his residency at the Army Hospital in Muzzaffarabad, got an opportunity to move to Jeddah and start a new life. This was the mid 1960s. He left his home, family, and parents in his quest for a better future.

Saudi Arabia was not the same that time. Its arid lands had a leadership committed to bringing the best minds worldwide and make their country a progressive and developed nation. The Saudi royals had an eye on picking the best talent and decreeing Saudi nationality. Dr Farook was one of the chosen ones. He became one of the few Pakistanis who was awarded by the Saudi nationality through Saudi Royal Decree.

It marked a new beginning for the young man. He graciously accepted and started a new chapter in his life. Fast forward to 60 years and that young doctor is now considered among the pioneers of the health industry in the Kingdom. He played a crucial yet low-profile role in setting up the foundation of the healthcare sector in the country.

Dr Farook has now returned to his motherland after giving the best years of his life to a country which became his home. In this exclusive conversation, Dr. Farook talks about his return to Pakistan, the new Saudi Arabia, and his role as a bridge between both the countries.

How easy was the transition of a young man or the shift of his loyalty from one country to another or citizenship?

For me, it was a tough decision to give up my Pakistani nationality at that time purely for emotional reasons. I left my birthplace to seek a better future for myself and my family. And I never regret my decision. Yes, I missed my home where I spent my childhood. I left my friends and relatives behind. However, I was also excited about the opportunities, love, and warmth that I got in my new home.  

As far as loyalty shift is concerned, loyalties never shift but only grows. I have two homes now and I am very fortunate to have two countries that I call home. In a world where people are leaving their homes and becoming stateless, I got two countries who embrace me whole-heartedly. If on one hand, I was missing my neighbors and childhood friends, I made new life-long friendships in Jeddah on the other hand.

You have spent  six decades in the Saudi health sector. You are known as one of the pioneers of the health sector in the country. Tell us your experiences and why health industry has done so well in the country?

KSA has always respected, admired, and promoted learning. When I reached Jeddah, the country was at a crossroads in establishing institutions, including in the healthcare sector. The best part about KSA is that it understands and believes in strong research and the use of technology in health services. The country’s leadership wants the best for its country and never hesitates in investing in this crucial sector. That is why, we have always been among the top 10 country with the best healthcare services. 

That’s why the Kingdom hires the best talent in the world. And that is why doctors like me left their motherland and spent most of their lives to serve humanity. Kingdom has always thought about its people and humanity first. The state-of-the-art health sector is the reflection of its commitment. 

Your generation witnessed a different kind of Kingdom. Do you experience cultural shock at what you are witnessing right now? 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is definitely going through a sea of evolution. However, this was expected. I know KSA from the 1960s and today’s KSA is very different. Another factor that cannot be ignored is that 70 percent of the today’s population is under the age of 25. So, it is imperative and the need of the hour that the nation is led by a dynamic leader like His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman(MBS) for a better brighter and stronger Saudi Arabia. The country is ready, so are we as a nation. We must change with time for a better and stronger tomorrow. 

You spend most of the time in Pakistan, your native country, these days. How is this new Pakistan treating you?

I returned to Pakistan for emotional reasons. I want to spend the last leg of my life in my motherland. Saudi Arabia is my home and the country that I chose to live in. Pakistan is my motherland, where I was born and raised. I adopted my home for a better future. And I am so grateful to the Kingdom for giving me love, respect, career, stability, everything that a man wishes for. My return to Pakistan is an emotional decision. I want to die in the same motherland where I was born. Like any mother-son relationship, my love for Pakistan is unconditional. A mother always treats her son well and Pakistan is treating me well. The new Pakistan is certainly very different from what I left 60 years ago. However, like any robust and resilient nation, Pakistan will fight against all odds and emerge as a winner.

You are one of the rarest bridges connecting Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. How do you see your role in strengthening the relations between both the countries?

Well, you are expecting a lot from an ordinary old man. I don’t know what the perspective of this question is or perhaps it is a wish list. What I know and acknowledge with pride is that I am a symbol of love and brotherhood between both the countries. When I landed as a Pakistani in the Kingdom, I never thought Saudi Arabia would become my home. As a Pakistani by birth and a Saudi by choice, I have seen lots of similarities between both the nations. And that’s why it was very easy to become a part of the Saudi nation. Interestingly, I could represent my motherland, which is Pakistan, in a most prolific manner. My honesty, hard work, and integrity showed my motherland in good light. People used to judge Pakistan based on the way I behaved. Similarly, when I come here, Pakistanis had a certain impression about the Kingdom, the way I share my success and happy stories about my home. 

In that sense, yes, I have been a bridge. And in this manner, I feel proud that I have played a role in bringing people of both the countries closer and making them empathetic toward each other.