Plane crash survivor Zafar Masud shares lessons on life, healing in new memoir

Islamabad: Zafar Masud, President and CEO of The Bank of Punjab, officially launched his memoir “Seat 1C: A Survivor’s Tale of Hope, Resilience, and Renewal” during a special edition of ‘Breakfast with Jang’ on Saturday. The book recounts his extraordinary journey as one of only two survivors of the tragic 2020 plane crash, offering readers a deeply personal narrative of trauma, reflection, and transformation.

Seat 1C does more than recount the harrowing minutes of the crash—it digs deep into the psychological and emotional aftermath of facing death and the clarity it brings to life’s true priorities. Interwoven with testimonies from the only other survivor, key witnesses, and accounts of his miraculous rescue, the memoir explores how such a life-altering experience reshapes one's worldview. Masud uses his story to urge readers to seek a life aligned with purpose and impact—a life without regret.

The event, attended by a wide cross-section of society—bureaucrats, journalists, writers, academics, bankers, and students—featured a heartfelt conversation with Masud and Jang Group Managing Director and President All Pakistan Newspaper Society, Sarmad Ali. The session was moderated by Aliya Agha, lawyer and Deputy Convener of the ADR Committee.

The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. “What’s lost cannot be undone,” Masud said, “but we can honour the departed by committing ourselves to addressing the causes behind such tragedies.”

Echoing Masud’s concerns, Sarmad Ali called for stricter regulations around airport safety, including restrictions on residential development near airports and measures to control bird populations in those areas. He praised Masud’s memoir as an act of service “a way of giving back to society.”

Comparing the survival of two passengers in plane crash of 2020 in Pakistan and that of Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the Air India crash, Masud noted that both had changed seats shortly before take-off. “International media is trying to prove that it was the location of seat that saved us which was next to entry and the emergency doors,” he remarked. “But I believe it was nothing short of a miracle that I’m sitting here with all of you today.”

Masud shared the core of Seat 1C, which is structured around key lessons drawn from what he calls his “30 seconds before death.” “In that moment,” he recalled, “it felt as though I was in a courtroom—facing my own self, accountable for the life I had lived.”

He spoke candidly about the psychological toll of surviving and the continuing need for therapy. “Even after publishing the book, I’ve had to return to psychotherapy,” he admitted. “Given the intense pressures of modern life and how the world is evolving, we all carry emotional burdens. Seeking help is not weakness—it’s wisdom.”

Masud emphasized the critical role of his support system—his family, friends, and colleagues—in helping him heal. “I was lucky to be surrounded by love and strength. Without that, recovery would have been very difficult.”

Masud revealed that discussion in book talks has inspired him to write a sequel of his memoir. He said that while the writing process was a learning experience, listening to the public perceptions gave him a deeper insight. He also announced that an Urdu translation of Seat 1C is underway and will be available in the coming months. He concluded his talk by reading a powerful excerpt from his book:

“Surviving a plane crash introduces incongruous thoughts you never imagined could exist in your brain. You feel horrified and devastated by the tragedy surrounding you, yet simultaneously relieved at your survival. And despite that relief, you question why you survived. When survivor’s guilt takes even the smallest hold in your mind, it becomes a constant, unrelenting struggle—to balance grief and gratitude, pain and peace, depression and a new hunger for life—all at once.”

The event ended with a vibrant question and answer session, leaving the audience moved, inspired, and reflective.