Jalaluddin presents Jumbo Karachi Guide to Australian High Commissioner

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s former Test fast bowler and now the country’s highest qualified cricket coach, Jalaluddin, presented a copy of Jumbo Karachi Guide to Neil Hawkins, Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, during a high-profile event at the National Stadium, Karachi, on January 19. 

The occasion was the final of the 3rd AHC-JCA Girls Schools Cricket Cup 2023 organized by the Jalaluddin Cricket Academy (JCA) and supported by the Australian High Commission. Neil Hawkins was the chief guest in the prize distribution ceremony in which Fawad Alam, Pakistan’s Test cricketer, was the guest of honour. 

Jalaluddin, the first-ever bowler to register hat-trick in the history of One-day Internationals, informed the Australian High Commissioner about the significance of Jumbo Karachi Guide, a pioneering effort to boost the soft image of the country. 

The Australian High Commissioner nodded in appreciation as he glanced through Jumbo Karachi Guide. He took particular interest in the chapter on cricket academies of Karachi in which Jalaluddin and his academy trainees were featured prominently.

Raees Fatima’s Ahwaal-o-Aasaar arrives

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Veteran columnist Raees Fatima’s 17th book titled ‘Ahwaal-o-Aasaar’ has hit the market and she presented its copies to office-bearers of the National Library Association (NLA) in a simple but graceful session on January 18. 

Syed Khalid Mahmood and Farheen Mahmood, who are Advisor and Vice President of the NLA respectively, extended their warm greetings to the versatile author, who has distinguished herself in the field of writing besides being an eminent educationist. 

Both the NLA officials lavishly praised Raees Fatima for her scholastic accomplishments and described her works as an asset to Urdu literature. 

The papers and thesis written on Raees Fatima by various renowned scholars and students have also been reproduced in the book alongwith a selection of her columns published in Roznama Express, one of the leading Urdu newspapers of the country. 

‘Ahwaal-o-Aasaar’ is an elegantly produced hardbound title, spread over 336 pages with a jacket cover. The smiling picture of the author on the cover is befittingly complemented by images of the titles of her previously books on the back cover. 

The book is very reasonably priced at Rupees one thousand per copy despite the phenomenal rise in costs of paper and other printing material in the recent past. High-quality offset paper has been used for the text while the coloured photographs are printed on art paper.

Jumbo Karachi Guide earns more praise

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Jumbo Karachi Guide, acclaimed as the first-ever guidebook of any city to be published in Pakistan, earned more praise this time from Raees Fatima, a noted intellectual having distinguished herself by authoring as many as 16 books. 

She was appreciative of Jumbo Karachi Guide, presented to her by the top officials of the National Library Association (NLA). The honours were done jointly by Syed Khalid Mahmood (Advisor) and Farheen Mahmood (Vice President). 

Raees Fatima, who has also written a book on Karachi by the name of Shahray Baimisal, was of the opinion that such guides of other cities of Pakistan should also be brought out to highlight their various aspects for the benefit of tourists as well as researchers.

Veteran author extols Mayar-e-Zindagi

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Jumbo Publishing’s popular book, Mayar-e-Zindagi, which is a compilation of motivational articles penned by emerging writer Asma Hassan, was presented to Raees Fatima, a famous author, columnist and novelist. 

Farheen Mahmood, Vice President, National Library Association (NLA), currently working as Chief Librarian at the iconic Adamjee Science College in Karachi, made the presentation to Raees Fatima. The Chairman of Jumbo Publishing, Syed Khalid Mahmood, also the Advisor to NLA, was also present the occasion. 

Raees Fatima, herself an author of 16 books, was impressed with the content and production of Mayar-e-Zindagi which she considered a handy reference book. She also praised the cover painting, which she reckoned, has added value to the book.