Pakistan’s tallest man calls on Muslims to pray for king

JEDDAH: Pakistan’s tallest man, Ghulam Shabbir, is an ardent supporter of world peace. He loves Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and describes the Saudi ruler as the king of the Muslim world.
Speaking to Arab News, Shabbir called upon Muslims across the globe to pray for King Abdullah, who is due to undergo back surgery shortly at King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh to tighten a loose ligament.
Shabbir, 30, measures an astounding 7' 8'' and weighs 160 kg, his manager Qamaruddin Ansari said, adding that he leads a normal life. Although he has not received any formal education, he takes parts in dramas and attends promotional events. He has visited about 30 countries.
Shabbir, who holds a resident permit (iqama) in the Kingdom, is a regular visitor to the country. “Shabbir is now looking for a suitable woman to get married,” Ansari said. “Women are demanding big dowries and I don't have the money to meet their demands.”
Ansari claimed that Shabbir is the tallest in the world. But the Guinness Book of World Records gives the credit to Sultan Kösen of Turkey who measured 8 feet 2 inches in 2011. Shabbir takes the food of three normal persons at a time. Pakistan’s tallest has since fallen sick and is currently being treated by Dr. Muhammad Ali of Al-Abeer Medical Group in Sharafiya.
“Shabir faces a lot of problems while traveling by plane,” said Ansari. Airline companies make special seating arrangements for him. “He cannot use the toilet inside the plane. So he is not be able to make long journeys by air,” the manager pointed out.
Shabbir was born in a village near the town of Faisalabad. He now lives mostly in Dubai where he takes part in advertising campaigns and entertainment programs. Shabbir needs everything to be tailor-made for him to suit his measurements as nothing readily available in the market fits his person. He wears shoes with a length of 40 cm.
A local doctor first noticed that he was growing at an usual rate at the age of 10. By the age of 14, Shabbir towered above his family and classmates. He left school after the fifth grade to work on his family’s farm, cultivating rice and fruits as is the norm in his village.
Shabbir now makes a living from advertising, using his stature in various promotional events, print and TV advertisements. Some use his height to exaggerate differences in size, juxtaposed with mini cars and compact digital devices, while others have used his imposing presence to indicate that their product or service is a symbol of strength or superiority.
“Shabbir has taken part in the Saudi comedy series “Baini Wa Bainak” and in Kuwaiti stage dramas,” said Ansari.
Shabbir was accompanied by Qamar Ali, Pakistani’s shortest man with a height of 95 cm and a weight of 24 kg. The two appear jointly in many comedy programs, said Ansari, adding that Shabbir would visit Spain next month to attend a program organized by a Pakistani businessman.