MIANWALI: An official of the Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) in Mianwali has been helping thalassemia patients for the last about three decades while now he is heading a team of donors who donate blood to anybody in need.

Constable Qaiser Khan Sawansi, posted as moharar at the P unjab Highway Patrol check post Tarri Khel in Mianwali district, is more than a policeman as he is involved in unique social service. His department has also recognised his social service as Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar called him to his office recently, appreciated his volunteer work and gave him a commendatory certificate and cash award.

During a talk with Dawn, Sawansi says thathisjourneyin blood donationstarted during his college days in 1996 when he heard an announcement in the bazaar, requesting for blood donation to save the life of a patient at the District Headquarter s Hospital (DHQ), Mianwali.He reached the hospital and donated his blood to save a life. This step gave him so much happiness and sense of achievement that he decided to continue blood donation on a humanitarian basis.

`Later, I came to know about thalassemia children who needed blood transfusion twice in a month and I started donating blood for the children suffering from the disease. With passage of time, my college friends and relatives joined me in this noble cause. Some philanthropists also joined my team for this cause and gave monetary help,` says Qaiser Khan Sawansi.

After completing the college studies, he joined the Punjab Highway Patrol as a constable in 2005. Apart from performing his duty, he keeps doing social work of blood donation with his team. Sawansi and his team provide wheelchairs to the needy physically challenged persons also and so far they have donated more than 60 wheelchairs to the special persons. Besides, they also regularly provide food hampers to the needy families.

`Now all the parents of children suf-fering from thalassemia in the area know me and they regularly approach me for fresh blood donations for their ailing children.

Sawansi says that apart from thalassemia children, he and his team donate blood to the victims of accidents or to the patients having surgeries in Mianwali as well as the adjoining districts.

Sometimes, he purchases blood bags and other accessories from his own pocket if the patients can`t afford paying for them. He is happy that the number of donors is increasing in his team for this noble cause.

Such heroes in our society mostly remain unsung but Sawansi is lucky that his social service has been recognised by his own department. On coming to know about his story, IGP Dr Usman awarded him with a certificate and cash prize in the presence of highranked police officers.

In the ceremony, IG Punjab Highway Patrol Rao Abdul Karim, PHP DIG Dr Ather Waheed, DIG Sadiq Ali Dogar and the Elite Force DIG were also present.