The launch ceremony for renowned banker Zafar Masud’s book Seat 1C was held at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) on Saturday.
Masud is a development and social impact-focused banker, entrepreneur and public sector expert with over 30 years of proven success stories in banking, development finance, energy and corporate governance within Pakistan and abroad.
On 22 May 2020, the Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashed in a suburb of Karachi, Pakistan, and burst into flames, claiming the lives of 98 people. A mind-bending series of fortunate incidents allowed Masud to emerge as one of just two survivors. Seat 1C is his raw and gripping account of that fatal day, interwoven with testimonies from the only other survivor, Masud’s heroic rescuers, and key eyewitnesses.
In the months following the crash, Masud managed to piece together an account of frightful mismanagement leading to the accident while grappling with the shock and weight of survival and embarking on a painful journey of physical recovery. His story is not just about surviving a plane crash but also about embracing a second chance at life with newfound wisdom and gratitude.
He imparts these lessons to the reader, offering insights into overcoming adversity and finding strength in the face of unimaginable challenges. Seat 1C is a poignant, heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of reflection, survival and the enduring human spirit,
In August 2021, Masud was decorated with one of Hungary’s highest civil awards and was featured as the only one outside the Western Hemisphere in Master Mentor’s Volume 2 as one of the 30 greatest minds with transformative insights by bestselling author Scott Jeffery Miller.
Speaking at the event, Masud reflected on his journey of survival and recovery following the tragic plane crash he endured in 2020, emphasising the importance of mental health and mutual support during times of crisis.
The event was organised as part of the ongoing mental health awareness campaign Mil Kar, a joint initiative of the British Asian Trust and Jang/Geo Group. Attendees included Masud’s family, senior politician Nasreen Jalil, businessman Amin Hashwani and individuals from various walks of life. Prominent TV anchor Huma Amir Shah moderated the session.
Zubair, the only other survivor of the plane crash, also participated in the event and shared his story with the audience.
Addressing the attendees, Masud urged people not to view mental health through a single lens, stating, “It has many dimensions. After going through a traumatic incident, don’t ignore it. Even if you’re strong, seek help.”
He stressed that hope was essential during difficult times and encouraged adopting positive actions to overcome trauma. He said that mental health had to be dealt with as physical health. “In many cases, this is more important than physical health because if you’re mentally strong, you can overcome many physical challenges,” he said.
He said that he underwent mental health treatment for six months after the crash, which gave him strength in overcoming his physical deficits and other challenges in life.
Speaking on his learnings, he said that at the end of the day, what mattered was one’s relationships with other people. “The way you touch them, it’s the legacy where quality is more important than quantity,” he said, explaining that one should perhaps engage with fewer people but in a quality manner.
“One cannot escape a survival’s guilt after such an accident,” he said, adding that there were two ways to channel it: either in a negative direction, mourn about it, or take it as a positive sign and consider oneself a privileged one who had been blessed with another life to work towards an equitable and just world.
He said that a no-regret syndrome could bring about a positive change in one’s life “in terms of you making a decision in life which is in the larger interest of the public and society and more inclusive in nature.”
Before the plane crash, he said, he had several things in his life that were either tentative or he was unsure of them. “They got reinforced to some extent and confirmed that he was thinking on the right lines,” he said, adding that he has learned some new things in life, and he decided to amplify his vision of life to another level.
By The News Correspondent on April 13, 2025
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