The ‘guard’ of honour

From security guard to lecturer, Akthar Nawaz embodies a tale of struggle

There is a popular saying in Urdu, ‘chiragh talay andhera’ (there is darkness under the lamp). However, Akhtar Nawaz Khattak is a ray of hope in this darkness. He is the guiding light inspiring many others to join in his footsteps. He worked his way up from being a security guard, to a lecturer through his passion and dedication. He proved that no profession is small or big; rather, it is the person’s perseverance which leads to greatness.

Hailing from District Karak, 35-year-old Akhtar Nawaz Khattak received his primary education from the Government High School of his village. The only son of his parents, he started looking for a job, after completing his Inter. He sought a job to look after his family surviving on a meagre pension. Initially, he was unsuccessful.

Akhtar has been serving as a security guard at the University of Karachi since 2009. However, with his hard work and determination, he transformed this move into the greatest opportunity and proceeded to Grade 16 by continuing his education along with his job, and did M Phil.

Akhtar initially did not want to join as a security guard. However, the surrounding of the varsity and the demeanour of the staff members impressed him. He described this experience and said, “when I got a job at the University, over time, I fell in love with my job. The residents of Karachi, the students and especially the senior employees of the University are very helpful. I was impressed by their kindness. Along with advice, they also suggested that I should pursue my studies. The surroundings had such an impact on me, that I began to rediscover my passion for education.”

Akhtar enrolled for graduation and did his Bachelor of Arts (BA) and then went on to complete his Masters (MA) in Criminology. “I had the opportunity to study while being on duty during the night shift. The more I studied, the more passionate I became, and then I completed my MA in Criminology,” he expressed.

This was not an easy task, he failed the entrance exam twice, but Akhtar did not give up and applied again, passing on the third attempt in 2019 for M Phil. With hard work and determination, he completed his M. Phil, and his professors and Vice-Chancellor encouraged him to serve as a lecturer. “I was initially sceptical and found it tough to teach. However, as I began lecturing with preparation, my confidence grew and my performance improved.”

Akhtar had a difficult childhood and he struggled for necessities due to his father’s meagre pension. “I remained patient but kept on trying by seeking God’s help. One day, I got a job offer that I had applied for on ‘son quota’ at the University of Karachi. The Vice-Chancellor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi was the Security Advisor at that time who recruited me in place of my father.”

Recalling the early days, he said he was not happy as a guard but had no other options. “I didn’t want to get a job as a security guard at that time. However, there was hardly any organisation to which I had not applied for a job. Finally, I had no option but to start this job.”

“The harsh reality of life and stumbling blocks led me to success. If I had all the facilities available, I would not have reached this place today by working so hard,” he exclaimed, his face glowing with uttered with pride.

Akhtar considers his days at the University of Karachi as the most important patch of his life which provides an enabling environment for him. At the same time, he said he does not have to pay any semester fees because it is waived for the university staff. He also appreciated the role of teachers and his caring friends in making him successful.

The field of security guards is considered very ordinary in our society; however, Akhtar has proved everybody wrong. Akhtar progressed from a modest security guard to a Grade 16 officer, aiming to be the security officer at the University of Karachi. He has the vision to bring about reforms and plans to make the security of his alma mater foolproof.

Akhtar urges the youth not to be disappointed in any situation, to put their trust in Allah and follow ambitions with courage, dedication, and faith.