I thought it would be appropriate to mention the comments I received on an earlier post regarding Zackaria Ahmed Hankir’s arrest for having a Doshka in his car.
The man in question is a highly esteemed doctor who treats a majority of his patients for free and has a hobby of collecting antiques. It is quite shameful that relatively reliable news portals and radios would spread such inaccurate information. Here’s a link to MTV’s report on that matter. [YouTube]
Here are comments from Dr Mohammed Zackaria Hankir and Zahra Hankir, Dr. Zakaria’s children. Thank you for your comments and apologies for any inconvenience caused noting that I did not accuse your father of arms smuggling but commented on the arrest as mentioned in the news.
I am the proud son of Dr Zackaria Ahmed Hankir and would like to take the opportunity to say a few words on this peculiar matter. Whilst my dad might have been quoted for saying that he used the Doshka as a “decoration item†what he meant was that he is in the habit of collecting all sorts of items which he uses to furnish his private home and clinic. That particular item is something he simply acquired over decades of collecting various bits and bobs (believe me, I used to go to the Sunday Markets in the UK with him as far back as 20 years ago when I was 10 years of age). The army confiscated this item among many others which as Sergio rightfully said don’t even shoot. Further, they subjected my further to the ignominy of being detained in jail. Now I may have a relatively liberal sense of what constitutes human rights having lived in the UK for a vast majority of my life, but a man is fully entitled to collect whatever his heart desires so long as it is not to the harm of others. My father is an exceptional physician who as Sam (bless your soul sir) rightly said, doesn’t charge a majority of his patients for his services. I can attest to this because despite the fact my father is a Dr, I (and the rest of my family) have had to work for everything we have just so that the people of Saida and other cities in Lebanon could benefit from his altruistic services. I can’t give you a figure (likely in the hundreds if not the thousands), but it is a matter of fact that there are a plethora of people out there in this world (the UK and Ireland included) who are alive and well thanks to my father’s ingenuity and compassion as a physician. He is an asset to Lebanon in the truest sense of the term and nothing less than a devoted patriot. The man has a British passport and me and my 3 brothers are all based in the UK. He can easily return here if he had the desire but he simply does n’t. Finally my father has dealt with this matter with dignity and transparency and so I hope other more pressing matters can be addressed by the authorities of Lebanon; a nation that I will always be inextricably connected to and also deeply proud of.
Dr Mohammed Zackaria Hankir, Oxford UK.
I am this individual’s daughter and yes that item was part of an antique collection and not used for some sinister purpose, as was originally reported in the press (or as you seem to suggest.) Please get your facts right before contributing to such ridiculous, unfounded and absurd claims, which essentially are defamation. My father is a well-respected doctor with a hobby, not a smuggler. At the very least, his name should not be mentioned in the context of these ridiculous charges, and the army should be focusing its efforts on arresting and raiding the many homes of those who truly harbour and smuggle weapons, not an innocent, law-abiding citizen who owns antiques.
Many thanks for this kind clarification – We very much appreciate it.
There’s no need to thank me. Least I could do.
so 3ajib tlo3na kellna metel moukhabarat el Jaish!
Aw bil a7ra moukhabarat el Jaich tol3o metel el cha3eb el lebneneh!
Another proof of the limited individual freedom and liberties in Lebanon. An individual is innocent until proven guilty. In Lebanon, it is the other way around and the press adds fuel to the fire.
I believe in the press’ freedom but they must refrain on publishing such articles until after the individual is proven to be at fault!
As my sister stated, it is very much appreciated that you have clarified the matter and have formally contributed to the clearing of my father’s name. Hopefully other news portals can follow BlogBaladi’s lead.
I am Dr Ahmed Hankir, son of Dr Zakaria Hankir. Dr Mohammed Hankir and Zahra Hankir are my siblings. It behooves me to comment on what my brother has called this rather peculiar matter.
I am, like my father, a medical doctor. I received my training in Manchester Medical School and I completed an academic component of my studies in Cambridge University. I presently practice medicine in Greater Manchester. The moment I received word about what was happening in Lebanon regarding my father I made my way to Beirut as soon as I could. I am in Saida at the moment. My father has received an incessant stream of visitors from all the different strata of society expressing their outrage at what my father was subjected to. My father has worked relentlessly and assiduously to merit the reputation that precedes him: a compassionate and altruistic doctor who was inspired to practice medicine to heal the sick, regardless of their socioeconomic standing. As my brother eloquently stated, my father has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives in the UK and in Lebanon. Whilst by my father’s side I have witnessed the people of Sidon sob and even wail due to the ill treatment that he received whilst he was detained. My father is an honorable physician who has served humanity with steadfastness, diligence and earnestness. He has honoured the Hippocratic Oath, something as dear to him as his own family. If we heed Bertrand Russel and look at the facts, my father is a 65 year old healer who has a penchant for collecting antiques, the entire city of Sidon are aware of this. There is no more to this matter than this. As my sister so intelligently put it, the authorities should be devoting their time and efforts on locating those who are a real menace to societry. I am deeply disturbed by what has taken place, my father is a brave and courageous man and I know that he would never reveal to others what kind of profound effect this has had on him lest he burden others with his own tales of woe. But I can discern in the lineaments of his face that this trauma has taken a toll on him. Nobody deserves this kind of treatment, least of all my father. If only you knew how pure and selfless a man he is. All he would do is give and never expect anything in return.
I would like to clarify that Dr.Zakaria Hankir was not arrested for having a doshka in his car. The media merged two totally different stories that coincidentally happened on the same day. The first story being that the army had stopped a car leaving the Ein El Hilwi refugee camp in saida and in that car, not Dr Hankir’s car, they found a doshka. The second story being that the army intelligence called Dr. Hankir for questionning about antique weapons he collects that were confiscated from a pick up truck that was hired to move Dr.Hankir’s belongings (furniture) from his house in Hlelieh saida to his new house in Ein El dilib Saida.I stress on the point that Dr. Hankir does not own a doshka, and that it is 100% false that he was arrested for having a doshka in his car. The media has done a very poor job at reporting the incidents that took place that day and I wish they get their stories right before posting such accusations.
Thank you Maya for that clarification.
Beautiful and wisely words Dr. Amed Hankir. It is admirable the love and respect that you and your siblings have to your father. Best regards for Dr. Zacaria Hankir.