ISLAMABAD(National Times)- A Pakistani labourer in Oman has been hailed for rescuing two Indian nationals from a car swept away by flash floods, an act he said showed humanity beyond borders despite long-strained ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident unfolded in Barka, a coastal city west of Muscat, where a vehicle was carried into a swollen wadi \u2014 a dry riverbed that can quickly fill during heavy rain \u2014 as hundreds of onlookers gathered on a bridge above, many filming the scene on their mobile phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among them was 25-year-old Shehzad Khan, an expat from Shabqadar in Pakistan\u2019s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, who cannot swim but climbed onto the vehicle to pull the men to safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khan said the moment reminded him of a tragedy in his own country in 2025, where 17 tourists, including 13 members of a single family, were swept away as bystanders watched and rescue was delayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe thought that came to my mind immediately was of the Swat incident, the day when that family was waiting for someone to rescue them, but no one came,\u201d he told Arab News in a Zoom interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe same thought of humanity came to my heart: I have to save these people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khan made the rescue on March 21 during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays, as Oman was hit by a powerful low-pressure system that turned normally dry riverbeds into fast-moving flood channels. According to the Civil Defense and Ambulance Authority (CDAA), the storms have killed at least 10 people, including five children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Barka alone, a separate incident the following day claimed the lives of three Indian nationals from Kerala when their vehicle was swept away, highlighting the dangers posed by the flooding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khan said he jumped onto the partially submerged car and tried to force open its rear door, initially kicking it and then using a stone thrown by a bystander to break the glass before finally managing to open it with force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInside, there were two men, one partially submerged in water and the other on top of him,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khan hauled the first man out forcefully, then reached for the second, who appeared to be \u201ctaking his last breaths\u201d but was ultimately saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt that time, my thoughts were purely for humanity, nothing else,\u201d Khan said. \u201cI did not care whether the people inside the car were Indian or from any other country… The greatest happiness and sense of fulfillment I felt was when the Indian men embraced me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His actions have since gone viral, with Pakistan\u2019s embassy in Muscat awarding him a certificate of appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ambassador Syed Naveed Safdar Bokhari described him as a \u201cnational hero,\u201d noting that his inability to swim made the rescue \u201cunparalleled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Khan, who works has completed his intermediate education, the attention has been secondary to what he sees as a rare moment of connection between two nations often at odds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Indians have shown a lot of love and admiration for my action,\u201d he said. \u201cDespite the ongoing differences between India and Pakistan, I think that it would be good if people of India and Pakistan always maintain good relations with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As floodwaters receded, Khan returned to his routine life, though his family in Pakistan now shares in the recognition of his actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy father, mother and sisters are all extremely happy … My father is proud that our Pakistan is recognized in this way,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, he maintained the recognition was heartening but secondary to the act itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI did this for humanity and then forgot,\u201d he added. \u201cI only know they were Indians, and I saved them for Allah\u2019s pleasure.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- A Pakistani labourer in Oman has been hailed for rescuing two Indian nationals from a car swept away by flash floods, an act he said showed humanity beyond borders despite long-strained ties between the two countries. The incident unfolded in Barka, a coastal city west of Muscat, where a vehicle was carried into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n