Page 18 - Pakistan Link - May 28, 2021

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – MAY 28, 2021 COMMUNITY
The American from Mozang ished--the day Terry Bradshaw had thrown that
n By Dr Asif Javed ent at the Three Rivers Stadium—since demol-

famous pass to Franco Harris, now referred
mong his peers and students, he had to as the immaculate reception that has since
developed a somewhat undeserved become part of the Steeler folklore. But the
Areputation of being too American- American football fan in Usman Ahmad had
ized. He did not deny it either. Once, while not been able to completely suppress the Lahori
sipping the forbidden nectar at a Christmas cricket fan inside him. Having seen Sri Lanka’s
party, he told me that he had boarded the triumph over Australia in the cricket world cup
plane to USA from Lahore in 1969 and had final in 1996, he remarked, “Oh, this was no
vowed to return to Pakistan immediately af- contest.” His excitement was palpable the way
ter finishing his training in medicine and not he described the match. After all, he had spent
to marry an American. Neither vow was kept; his youth in the city of great Fazal Mahmood
this was vintage Usman Ahmad. and the legendary skipper, Hafiz Kardar.
I write this in the Saadat Hasan Manto tra- His ties with the family back home re-
dition who once famously wrote in the epilogue mained close despite the obvious handicap of
of Ganjay Farishtay that he was not in the busi- an American spouse. Many years ago, he was
ness of cleaning up his subjects to make them talking of a brother of his who had come down
more presentable to the readers. with a debilitating neurologic disorder in Paki-
Back to Usman Ahmad: I once asked him stan. The treatment was expensive. “Is he able
what had made him choose the USA rather to afford it?” I asked him. “I am his only Blue
than the UK for post-graduation. “It was a no Cross,” he said with sadness.
brainer,” he said. “The British are more style Usman Ahmad was not particularly hand-
than substance while the Americans roll up some in the traditional sense, nor was he a par-
their sleeves and simply get down to the busi- ticularly well dressed person; it was his elegance
ness.” Having come from the UK at the time, and the warmth of his personality that im-
I did not like his comment, but looking back I pressed you and sometimes overwhelmed you.
find it fairly accurate. He would rarely miss an opportunity to re-
As I think of him, a few things stand out: mind you that we were in the USA rather than
he was one of a fairly large crowd of young Pak- in Pakistan. Once I protested to him that he had
istani physicians who came to the USA in the taken a complaint against me from a nurse seri-
sixties and seventies and made their millions ously. “A complaint from a nurse?” I said. He
but he was among the select few who rose to was furious and retorted, “You should have left
professional heights in their specialty; he rose to sion, however, I managed to hear him talk to a entire career in the USA — training and prac- this stupid colonial mentality back home.” Years
be the program director of a residency program fellow Pakistani physician in the typical Lahori tice — in the steel city. He played golf and was later, as I think of his remarks and my unwise
and professor of medicine. This was not easy; Punjabi, but that was it. very fond of Tiger Woods. In 1997, I recall ask- statement, I remain grateful to him for the mes-
in hushed tone he once told me how, earlier on He was a practical man and would, from ing him why Tiger was considered better than sage conveyed.
in his academic career, he had been forced to time to time, pass on a word or two of wisdom Daly who could hit longer tee shorts. “Because He did have a temper and would occasion-
“walk behind” a senior Italian American phy- to his juniors. When my son was born, he asked Tiger has a much better thinking head on his ally unleash his fury as a resident. Once, when
sician, who had been sympathetic to foreign me his name: “Taimoor Javed,” I said trium- shoulders,” he said with a smile. He loved Steel- a young intern from Philippines broke down in
physicians. Getting a foothold in academia in phantly. “Look,” he said, “Unlike you, your son tears from his scolding, I felt as if he also had
white-dominated organizations is not easy, as is a born US citizen and is likely to spend his It was sometime in the mid- not left behind his colonial baggage.
many of us continue to discover. entire life here, so choose a traditional Islamic It was sometime in the mid-nineties that
Usman Ahmad spoke English with a rare name by all means, but make sure it is easy for nineties that he introduced me he introduced me to Pakistan Link. Clearly, he
fluency and poise for a foreign medical gradu- Americans to spell and pronounce,” he said to Pakistan Link. Clearly, he had more ties and affection to the land of his
ate. I recall a farewell party for a retiring office with a conviction. He then went on to suggest a birth than he would freely admit in public. I
manager of his in Pittsburg where he delivered few names, Ali, Karim and Hakim among oth- had more ties and affection to subscribed to Pakistan Link at his suggestion
a speech. The audience - mostly white Ameri- ers. My wife and I chose Ali, instead of Taimoor, the land of his birth than he and, except for a brief interruption, have been
cans - sat spell-bound by his eloquence. and remain grateful to him twenty years later would freely admit in public. I a regular reader, and an occasional writer. Little
His punctuality was almost legendary. Be- for his advice. did I realize that one day I will write his obitu-
ing late is endemic in our culture, a despicable Unlike many of us, Usman Ahmad did subscribed to Pakistan Link at ary in his beloved newspaper.
trait that many of us brought here from back not publicize his Pakistani origin. In fact, at his suggestion and, except for a As I write these lines, Usman Ahmad has
home and never get rid of. But not him: over times, one got the distinct impression that he been buried in a Catholic cemetery in Pittsburg.
a period of four years I remember only one was positively hiding his roots. It took me some brief interruption, have been a I am told he had a cardiac arrest having just
morning when he did not turn up for the morn- time to realize that he did open up to a select regular reader, and an occasional returned from Lahore, having visited his fam-
ing report at 7 AM sharp. Somewhat surprised, few in private gatherings, and then the real La- writer. Little did I realize that ily that includes an elderly mother. A mutual
I looked outside the morning report room, only hori Mozangwala inside him would surface. friend reports that there were scores of people
to discover him on the phone in the hallway, I was amused once to notice his car number one day I will write his obituary at his funeral from all walks of life to pay their
taking an outside phone call from a distressed plate; it read “MOZANG”. Once, having just re- in his beloved newspaper respect to the talented Pakistani American.
patient. turned from Pakistan, he told us about a music It seems as if the hidden, but diehard, Lahori
Usman Ahmad disliked using any lan- show in Qazzafi Stadium at Lahore that he had wanted to pay one last homage to his beloved
guage other than English in public. If you spoke been taken to by a friend. “Fantastic show and ers and once took me along with his young son Mozang before finally calling it a day in his ad-
to him in Urdu or Punjabi, he would answer this Arif Lohaar is something,” he said with a to a Steelers football game. I then realized that opted homeland.
back in English but you would also receive a chuckle. he was a diehard Steelers fan. With a twinkle (The writer is a physician in Williamsport,
cold stare as a polite reprimand. On one occa- He was in love with Pittsburg and spent his in his eye, he told me that he had been pres- PA and may be reached at asifjaved@comcast)
Phone Scammers Use Mobile
n By Ron Gales These payment services and apps “should

obile payment services and apps Payment Apps for Fraud only be used to send money to someone you
know and trust,” said Meghan Fintland, direc-
such as Zelle, MoneyPak and oth- tor of Influencer Relations at Early Warning
Mers offer users convenience and Services, the network operator for Zelle. “They
ease of use. They are also quickly becoming are the same as putting cash in an envelope and
a favorite tool among phone scammers pos- dropping it in a mailbox.”
ing as Southern California Edison employees Zelle uses pop-up warnings during trans-
— even though SCE does not accept bill pay- actions to confirm whether users know the re-
ments from third-party apps and some apps cipient. Zelle also promotes its Pay It Safe public
are using pop-up warnings. education campaign on its website and in this
Luz DeLeon, a fourth-grade teacher from video.
Huntington Park, was leading her class via “Anytime someone says, ‘You need to pay
Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions when she right now,’ that’s a tipoff,” said Darryl Turner
got a call from impostors posing as SCE. There of Murrieta. He and his wife Lynette get “sev-
was a problem with her meter, they said, and her eral various scam calls each week; that happens
power would be shut off in 30 minutes — unless when you get up in years.” They are both over 70.
she paid a deposit immediately using Zelle. A few weeks after actual SCE technicians
“I was panicking,” said DeLeon. “I said, upgraded their meter, a scammer called them
‘You can’t cut me off! What do I need to do?’” claiming to be from SCE and said the Turn-
Weeks earlier, her internet connection failed ers owed $495 for a new meter or their service
while she was giving an exam and she did not Only later, her sister told her, “I think American Rescue Plan, may also be driving in- would be interrupted. “The caller wanted us to
want another disruption. you’ve been scammed.” DeLeon then contacted creased phone scam activity. pay immediately by Zelle,” Turner said. Realiz-
DeLeon was transferred to a Spanish- SCE and confirmed that the call was from im- The rate of phone scams reported to SCE ing this was a scam, they declined and reported
speaking woman who assured her she would postors. each month is more than 30% higher this year the call to SCE.
get the money refunded. But a truck was already COVID-19 safety guidelines continue to (about 1,700) compared to the same period last Customers targeted by a utility bill scam
on its way, they said, so DeLeon had to send the keep many Southern Californians home during year (about 1,300). So far this year, SCE cus- should confirm their payment status or report
money right then, directly to a supposed “SCE daytime hours, creating more opportunities for tomers report being scammed out of more than the scam attempt by calling SCE at 1-800-655-
manager.” They instructed her step-by-step on phone scammers. Refunds received during tax $264,000, with about 34% (about $88,000) lost 4555. They can also email SCE at csinfogov@
how to use Zelle until she had sent them $495. season, and this year’s stimulus checks from the using mobile payment apps. sce.com or complete SCE’s online fraud form.
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