Popular East Lancashire doctor dies of crash injury (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Popular East Lancashire doctor dies of crash injury

9:36am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

A DOCTOR and community leader who was awarded an MBE for his volunteering work has died after being knocked over by a car.

Dr Ikram Malik died yesterday (Wednesday) after suffering head injuries when he was hit by a car in Pendle Street, Nelson, at around 2pm last Friday.

The 75-year-old was still a serving GP in the town, running his own practice at Yarnspinners, in Carr Road.

His wife, Raisa, was also a doctor who only recently retired and two of their three children have also gone into the medical profession.

After the accident, near to the Morrisons supermarket, it was initially thought that he had suffered just minor leg injuries and was reported to have been walking around, before being taken to hospital.

He was trapped under the wheel of the Vauxhall Vectra and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

But on Monday his condition deteriorated and he died yesterday afternoon.

Scores of tributes have been paid to the popular doctor, who has been described as a ‘pillar of the community.

Dr Malik, who lived in Reedley, was awarded an MBE in 1999 and said it belonged to the ‘community’ and those who had helped him.

He had previously been a GP at the Railway Road surgery and at Nelson Health Centre.

He was involved in a number of community groups, including being chairman of the Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association and the Pendle Community Safety Partnership.

He established the Building Bridges Pendle group 12 years ago and was a past chairman of the Burnley and Pendle Racial Equality Council.

In addition he was a former vice-chairman of the National Association of the Racial Equality Council’s North West region.

Yesterday fellow community leaders paid tribute to Dr Malik.

Nelson councillor Mohammed Iqbal, a friend for 35 years, said: “He was a pillar of the community who did a great deal of good and will be sadly missed.

“He was our family GP for years and was a wonderful man, he did so much for the people of Nelson and Pendle.

“Throughout his time in Nelson he worked hard to make a difference in the local community and his work here should not be forgotten. He was an excellent GP and a great person.”

Coun Joe Cooney, the leader of Pendle Council, said: “The work he did in Pendle will never be forgotten.”

Dr Malik had moved to Nelson from Pakistan in the 1960s and soon became involved in the local community, both as a GP and in volunteering projects.

He established the Building Bridges Pendle group 12 years ago and was awarded an MBE in 1999 for his community work.

In 2009 he received an award from then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for being one of the ‘unsung heroes’ of the Muslim community in Britain.

Tributes to GP as ‘a tireless force for good’

TRIBUTES have been paid to Dr Malik who was described as a ‘force for good in communities’ in Pendle, and across East Lancashire.

Bob McDonald, manager of Building Bridges Pendle, said: “Dr Malik was very well known in the region, and for many years was very active in the area.

“He dedicated much of his life to helping to improve the lives of disadvantaged people, and to promoting good community relations between different communities.

“He was a very active chairman of Building Bridges Pendle for many years, and was involved on a daily basis.”

Lancashire Council of Mosques chairman Salim Mulla said: “I did a lot of work with Dr Malik.

“He had a lot of time for the community.

“He wanted to make a real difference to the community and worked tirelessly to do so.

“He worked on projects across Lancashire and he was a key member of the Muslim community.

“He commanded a lot of respect.

“He will be sadly missed by all sections of the community.

“His drive to make a difference will be missed.”

Coun Joe Cooney, Pendle Council leader, said: “Everybody knew Dr Malik.
“He did some very important work and some very good work in Pendle over the years.

“He was a force for good in communities and helped to bring people together, and to build bridges.”

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “Since being elected, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet Dr Malik on regular occasions, and have been fortunate enough to witness the work he was involved in through a great many organisations, such as Building Bridges Pendle.

“His record of volunteering covered five decades, and was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen in 1999.

“His passing is a loss to those organisations he supported, and to the community at large.

“My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”

Comments are closed on this article.