Brother From Another Mother

It's been nine years that I and Farooq aka TED are best friends. I still remember the day when I met him. He just completed his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from NCBA&E (National College of Business Administration & Economics) and came to the Institute of Business Administration (A department of the University of Punjab) to do an MBA but due to some issues, we both got the admission in PGD (Post Graduation Diploma) in Business Administration so that we can fulfill the requirement for the MBA program. The bachelor's degree can be completed in 4 years but Ted just finished his degree in 3 years. Well, good for him and his family. I and Ted become friends in the second semester of PGD. I don't want to exaggerate about myself but yes I indeed was one of the guys that are popular on the campus. He came to me for help. I helped him in an assignment and that's the day our friendship started. He always wanted to try those things that I do. But despite that, I always encouraged him to choose his own path. He was always tense in the exams but on the other hand, I know that because of me, he got relief. Ted was older than me. He was born in probably 1989 and I was born in 1991.

He faces many hardships in his life like the death of his father at a very young age, the illness of his mother, marriage of his elder sister, education of his younger brother and hunting for a better job. He takes the big risk of resigning from a job just to focus on studies and in that period his uncle helped him. But over time he knows that he needs to be the sole person to earn bread and butter for his family. Finally, both of us completed our diploma from IBA. Both of us very happy.

Ted (Left) & I (Right)

 We both belong to a middle-class family, and because of that, we know the difficulties that boys who belong to middle-class families face and that's one of the common things that become the base of our friendship. In 2017 a time comes when both of us give the entrance exam of MBA. For the consecutive two years, we did our best to score well in class. Ted not only become the class representative but he got the highest grades too. It is challenging for us to study in the evening class and do a job in the morning, but we overcome our fears. I told him that "If we need to shine like the sun than we have to burn like the sun too". That statement always motivates me and Ted.

After graduating from IBA, we started our career in the banking sector. Ted was hired by the government bank and got the opportunity to work in the Compliance Department on a contract basis for one year and I joined a private bank and worked as an HR Officer. Ted was always eager to learn about Compliance rules & regulations, money laundering laws, etc. With time Ted got fed up from his job because of long working hours. It was like 12 to 13 hours of hectic job in the bank with no lunch break and in the end, he resigned from the bank. For two or three months he started finding a new job. He called me many times for help but I was also newcomer in this sector with zero experience and contacts. That was the time when I realize that it might be not possible for me to him this time. But we are warriors, we fight in such situations and God always helped us. I prayed for him and I told him that he doesn't need to worry about anything. I told him that in a few days many banks will call him to join them and ultimately that day come when almost four renowned banks of the country called him. They wanted to hire him. He finally chooses one of the top banks in Pakistan.

Today he is working as a team leader in the bank. I hope that his story inspires many young people who read this.

Friends, there is no such thing as a shortcut in life you have to work hard. You have to burn your desires and your cravings to achieve something in life and that's what I and Ted has done.