Chapter 1: The Awakening
Dr. Zulfiqar Ali sat alone in his study, his mind swirling with thoughts. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, marking the late hour. His dreams had been troubling him for weeks—people suffering from ailments, wandering aimlessly, with no knowledge of how to help themselves. It wasn’t just a figment of his imagination; it was reality. As a physician with years of experience, Zulfiqar had seen countless patients stumble into his clinic with vague symptoms, unsure of what was wrong. They often relied on misguided advice or home remedies, delaying critical treatment.
That night, Zulfiqar’s thoughts crystalized into a single idea—an idea that would soon grow into something much larger. “People need to be informed,” he muttered to himself, running his hand through his hair. “Not just patients, but ordinary people. They need to understand their bodies, know what’s normal and what isn’t.”
He envisioned a book, a handbook that anyone could read and understand, no matter their level of medical knowledge. It would be a guide to the most common diseases, laying out the symptoms, causes, and remedies in simple terms. Tashkhees—the very essence of diagnosis—would become the title.
But Zulfiqar knew he couldn’t do this alone. He needed help, a team with the same passion for spreading knowledge and empowering people. The next morning, with a renewed sense of purpose, he picked up the phone and began making calls.
*About the Character Zulfiqar:
Dr. Zulfiqar Ali is a Dubai-based consultant physician. He completed his graduation from Allama Iqbal Medical College, Punjab University Lahore in 1990. In 1995, he joined Ministry of Health, UAE and later Dubai Health Authority in 2004. He obtained MRCP (Ireland) in 2003, MRCSEd A&E (UK) 2005, and EMDM (Italy) in 2007 and MRCPS (Glasgow) in 2014. He got his FRCP (Ireland in 2017) and completed postgraduate diploma (PgD) in diabetes from (UK) in 2019. At present, Dr. Ali is performing his clinical duties at Rashid Hospital Dubai, UAE. He is a teaching faculty with Dubai Medical College and visiting faculty as Professor of Medicine at Sialkot Medical College. He is also a member of the team serving H.H. Sh. Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and Vice-President of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai.
In addition to his clinical commitments, Dr. Ali has great interest in academics, research, teaching and training. Many of his research articles have been published in various local and international journals. He is actively involved in teaching and training both undergraduates and post graduate healthcare professionals. His personal academic courses and workshops such as Advanced ECG, Pearls of Clinical Diabetes, Clinical Toxicology, Emergency Pharmacology, Emergency Radiology, ABGs Interpretation, etc. are a regular feature of Dubai Health Authority’s MED training schedule.
He is also a senior instructor and faculty for many life support training courses such as ACLS, PALS, PEERS, ACLS-EP, PHTLS, and few more. He has been a regional faculty (MENA region) for American Heart Association (2010 – 2016) and contributed significantly in establishing life support training network in Pakistan. He was also the founding member and General Secretary of Medical Wing of Pakistan Association Dubai in 2008-09. He was also a founding executive member of Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons (APPS) – Middle East in 2021.
