VEHARI: Pakistan’s tallest man, Zia Rasheed, passed away yesterday at the age of 30 after a prolonged illness related to knee pain. His funeral attracted a large crowd, including notable social and political figures. Rasheed, who became the tallest person in Pakistan at age 15, had been suffering from knee issues since he was 20.
Unfortunately, he did not receive proper medical treatment, and the government did not provide support. “His condition worsened over time due to the unsupportive attitude of the government,” his family stated. Rasheed underwent three surgeries, but his condition continued to deteriorate.
Rasheed had a typical childhood: he attended school, teased his five siblings, and played cricket with friends and cousins in his village. However, at 12, he experienced a significant growth spurt, reaching eight feet in height by age 23, making him the tallest man in Pakistan and just three inches shy of the world record. Despite his unique stature, Rasheed’s life was marked by misfortune, ill health, and poverty.
Coincidentally, Zia Rasheed’s death coincided with the 26th death anniversary of Alam Channa, the tallest living man in the world from 1982 to 1998, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Alam Channa, who was 7.7 feet tall, died on July 2, 1998, and was buried in Sehwan, Sindh.
