KARACHI: From a modest household in Chak 252 GB Lasori, Toba Tek Singh, emerged Pakistan’s brightest success story in the Central Superior Services (CSS) 2025 examination, meet Usaid Rafiq, who secured the first position nationwide.
Born to a family of educators — his father, Mian Abid Rafiq, a retired government school teacher, and his mother still serving in the classroom — Rafiq’s journey reflects the perseverance of rural Pakistan’s middle-class families. His sister is a doctor, further underscoring the family’s commitment to public service.
The village itself carries a remarkable legacy: Sajid Javed, also from Chak 252 GB Lasori, went on to hold two of the UK’s most powerful offices — Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Rafiq’s official mark sheet shows a total of 939 marks, including 714 in written papers and 225 in viva voce. Yet his triumph was razor-thin in places. In English (Precis and Composition), he scored exactly 40 marks — the minimum passing threshold. One mark less, and his name would have been counted among failures rather than celebrated as Pakistan’s CSS topper.
His story, observers note, is a reminder of how determination, family support, and sheer resilience can transform humble beginnings into national distinction.
