A long winding road

Bhurgri (also spelled Bhurgari) is essentially a Baloch tribe that settled in Sindh a couple of centuries ago. Today, the community reflects a Baloch-Sindhi identity, with most members speaking Sindhi. You won’t find many Bhurgris in Islamabad, but the one I know is a remarkable individual -- a broadcaster, journalist, scriptwriter, traveler and teacher.

Haider Bhurgri has now added ‘author’ to his list of accomplishments with the publication of his autobiography. I’ve known him for many years as a vibrant member of the Sindhi community in Islamabad, always welcoming friends regardless of caste, colour, creed, or community. His only expectations are profound yet straightforward: you must be a lively conversationalist, a believer in democracy, enthusiastic about learning, forward-thinking and -- above all -- a decent human being. He has little patience for silent spectators, admirers of autocracy, or those disinterested in personal growth.

My esteemed friend Naseer Memon deserves credit for introducing me to many liberal and secular Sindhis in Islamabad, Haider Bhurgri among them. Both Haider and Naseer have generously helped me improve my Sindhi. Whenever I find myself puzzled by a difficult passage in a Sindhi book, a call to either one quickly resolves the issue. They’ve spent not just hours but entire days patiently guiding me through the intricacies of the language and its nuances.

It is with this context that I approach Haider Bhurgri’s autobiography, titled ‘Lo