As news filtered through that a gunman had taken hostages at a cafe in Sydney’s CBD, Dr Moughal Fazal watched on in horror with the rest of the country.
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His daughter, a pharmacist in the city, frequented the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place almost daily on her way to work.
“When my wife and I heard [the news] yesterday I had a panic attack,” he said.
“My first thought was, ‘I hope she is OK’,” he said.
“When we called her she was getting off the train at Central.
“She said, ‘I’ve just heard on the news this has happened, I was about to go in to have breakfast there’.
“She said, ‘I’m not going in there, I’m going back’.”
A proud Muslim, Dr Fazal moved to Australia permanently in 2000.
He said it was his moral obligation to publicly condemn the gunman’s actions and help the community understand that the cowardly attack had no connection to his religion.
“It is a tragedy,” he said.
“Yesterday morning I woke up and looked at the news and couldn’t really function.
“This is a sick man who did these terrible things. It is devastating to anyone who is of a normal mind set, irrespective of religion – this is inhuman.
“The religion of Islam is a religion of peace, it doesn’t tell Muslims to do these things.
“We condemn the ISIL and others like them from the bottom of our hearts; this is not the teaching of the religion.
“Being part of the community, a Muslim man and a doctor, I must express my insight and tell the community that we are very peaceful people.
“The community must know that what these people are doing in the world has nothing to do with our religion. We are not the people who believe in terrorism, we completely condemn these terrorists.
“The religion of Islam has been hijacked.”
Dr Fazal, 58, left Pakistan after terrorists victimised him in his homeland. He decided to leave with his wife and five children before it was too late.
Dr Fazal said he would not consider anyone who did not condemn the gunman’s actions a Muslim.
“All Muslims are very, very upset,” he said.
“The two young people who died they were the children of someone, they have children left behind.
“We came to this country to contribute positively and to be part of the culture and society.
“What has happened – Australia doesn’t deserve that.”
Dr Fazal has served the Maitland community for more than 10 years at his practice. He said he loved living in Maitland and that it had given him and his family a great life.
“Great Australians have accommodated us and accepted us,” he said.
“If I was not treated well in this country and town I would not be here.
“This is a democratic country.
“You allow me to pray in my house, outside, whatever I like.
“I love this place, I have my rights here, I would give my life for this country.
“You can’t understand what is in my heart and how much I love this country.
“My feelings are beyond any words.”
