Book on Karachi’s non-Muslim cricketers launched

KARACHI: A book titled Non-Muslim Cricketers of Karachi by senior journalist Shah Waliullah Junaidi was launched at the Karachi Arts Council on Thursday night, with speakers terming it a unique contribution to sports literature that highlights the role of minorities and the rich history of Karachi while projecting a soft image of Pakistan.

The ceremony was presided over by Khawaja Razi Haider, while KAC president Muhammad Ahmed Shah was the chief guest. The book has been published in both Urdu and English. In his address, Khawaja Razi Haider recalled that a British author had written in Quaid-e-Azam’s biography that the founder of Pakistan showed interest in cricket. Quaid-e-Azam had also assured that non-Muslim minorities would be provided protection in Pakistan. He praised Shah Waliullah’s journalistic approach and the depth of his research, adding that the book would also promote a positive image of Pakistan worldwide.

Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas said very few writers manage to pick such unique topics, congratulating the author and describing the book as a reference work on cricket, minorities’ role in sports, and Karachi’s rich sporting history. He recalled playing at the historic Parsi Ground and stressed that talent is never bound by religion, caste, or creed.

Former first-class cricketer and veteran journalist Qamar Ahmed observed that cricket has never been about religion. He noted that as early as 1888, Indian teams touring England had Parsi players. He described Junaidi’s work as a milestone. He cited the example of Jay Naomal, born in Karachi, who later captained the Indian cricket team.

Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan lauded the effort, saying writing on cricket is a difficult task. He expressed hope that the book would be widely read and circulated internationally. Farsheed Rohani, representing the Bahá í community, disclosed that several Bahá í cricketers had also played first-class cricket in Karachi, though their names were not included in the current edition. He suggested that details of their contribution should be added in the second edition. Researcher Iqbal A. Rehman termed the title meaningful.