Spotlight on Mayar-e-Zindagi during Baba-e-Urdu celebrations

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

It was in the fitness of things that National Library Association (NLA) chose to present copies of Asma Hassan’s Mayar-e-Zindagi, acclaimed as one of the best Urdu books of the recent times, during an event held to celebrate the life of Baba-e-Urdu, Moulvi Abdul Haq, at the Karachi Press Club on September 2. 

The NLA President, Syed Muzaffar Ali Shah, did the honours by presenting a copy of Mayar-e-Zindagi to Shabbir Ibne Adil and Hasan Imam, the top functionaries of Idara-e-Ilm Dost, who organized the ceremony which was presided over by Prof Dr Rais Ahmad Samdani. 

The dignitaries were respectful of Mayar-e-Zindagi, a proud publication of Jumbo Publishing, which is a collection of articles on different facets of life penned by Asma Hassan, an emerging writer from Lahore. The NLA’s policy of gifting high quality books during various events was also appreciated. 

The NLA Secretary General, Anwar Hussain, who was one of the speakers in the function, paid glowing tributes to Moulvi Abdul Haq, a legendary scholar and linguist who is more famously known as Baba-e-Urdu.

Agha Nasir’s book on PTV launched at Karachi Press Club

Jumbo Editorial Team

‘This is PTV: Another Day, Another World’ authored by Agha Nasir, a former Managing Director of Pakistan Television (PTV), was launched in a graceful ceremony at the Karachi Press Club on March 24 which was presided over by Farhad Zaidi, also an ex-MD of PTV.

Ghazi Salahuddin, the founding Editor of The News, was so impressed with the contents of the book that he recommended it to be made a part of the curriculam of colleges and universities to let the students learn about the evolution of electronic media in Pakistan, adding that the communication revolution in the country has come through television.

“Studying the early days of PTV would provide the basis for any examination, especially by the students of mass communication, of the evolution of all these developments. This book, therefore, holds immense value and it’s worthy to be included in the curriculum,” he reckoned.

Farhad Zaidi, while lavishing Agha Nasir with praise for coming up with an excellent book, was also of the opinion that it should be prescribed as textbook to let the students learn about the historical facts.

“When television came to Pakistan on November 26, 1964, it had a range of only 15 miles but today it encompassed the whole world being a global channel. It’s a real achievement. Television has gone a long way in creating awareness about the various problems and issues,” he noted.

Author Agha Nasir, who was decorated with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of the highest civilian awards of Pakistan only the other day, remarked that the book has been produced to record the events of more four decades.

‘If the events were not recorded they were likely to get lost in the mists of time and that should not happen to PTV,” he observed while also talking about the difficulties he faced in writing the book.

Athar Viqar Azeem, who also remained associated with the PTV for a very long time as a current affairs producer besides doing administrative duties, described Agha Nasir as an exceptional drama producer who also excelled in managing matters related to current affairs.