Confined to a wheelchair due a traffic accident, Amjad Siddiqui, is one of the most intrepid you would ever meet. His journeys to places like US, Canada and Europe are just the start. In the past three decades, he has visited 52 countries. What makes this even more remarkable is that all of his travels were done in a wheelchair.
The 57-year-old Siddiqi was involved in an accident in Saudi Arabia in 1981 that caused him to lose use of his lower half of his body. He has been confined to a wheelchair since his injury and as a result of having a rare, incurable medical condition, but he has accomplished things that most people with normal physical abilities can only imagine.
He undertook a nine-month therapy program in Riyadh and then spent ten months in a rehab facility in London. His wounds persisted after this thorough therapy.
Upon his return to Pakistan, he was met with unfavorable and unsupportive conduct from his loved ones. He claimed that many of them deserted him when he first became disabled, including his fiancée, whose family called off the engagement soon after his injury.
“The life of a disabled person is an example of hot desert sands and burning coals that I had to walk alone,” Amjad Siddiqui said “Therefore, I took the path of patience, gratitude and perseverance, which opened the closed paths of my life one by one. Then I made hard work, honesty, self-restraint, and faithful commitment to the principles of life; and I quickly started on the road to success.”
He gave his autobiography the title “Dard Ka Safar” (Journey of Pain) in recognition of the hardships he endured. He advised others, especially those who were contemplating suicide, to read his book before making the fatal decision.
Talking about his world tour, he said after disability, he wanted to travel the world to raise awareness about differently abled.
“The purpose of the world tour was to visit rehabilitation centers and motivate people with disabilities to live a better and productive life,” he explained.
He said that due to the stereotypes and discrimination surrounding people with disabilities in our community, the biggest roadblock is other people. Therefore, all of society needs to recognize the value that those with disabilities bring to the table, and not just those who have been impacted. And since there is an overall lack of understanding and acceptance, raising awareness is necessary.
He said he had offered himself for research on spinal cord treatments, and he went through 30 or so operations which helped scientists to know about this rare medical condition.
Amjad Siddiqi says he believes that physically disabled persons can lead a normal life, but for this, they must have faith in themselves.
For the past forty years, he has delivered inspirational speeches at various gatherings and hospitals for the disabled and has worked to reintegrate patients who have spent many years in the hospital into daily life.
A number of honors, including the Naeem Khan Research Lab Award and the Jinnah Award from the Jinnah Welfare Society, have been bestowed to Siddiqi as a result of his tenacity, confidence, and hard work.
