Shamim Akhtar’s ‘Dil Mein Chubhe Kaante’ launched

The Karachi Press Club was host on Thursday evening to the launch of ‘Dil Mein Chubhe Kaante’, a book authored by noted journalist Shamim Akhtar.

Dr Tauseef of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science, and Technology, in his tribute to the author, described how she joined their group at the club.

He acknowledged that back in the days when they were young journalists at the threshold of their careers, they did not have much of an affinity with her because at that time she was thought to be anti-socialism, anti-workers, and anti-poor.

Then, however, said Tauseef, when they began to interact at the club the image in their minds turned out to be a myth and they found out what a progressive and egalitarian person she was.

Her views, he said, were very pro-poor and pro-people and that she was a really caring human being. Talking about the book, he said, the book emphasised the importance of dialogue.

About the publication of the book, Raziuddin Khan of the Karachi University said that he was lucky enough to be her proofreader.

“I read it over and over again and realised that had she not written the book, it would have been a mighty loss to the reading public.”

He talked of her Afghan origin and her family’s immigration to Pakistan when the tyrant, Bacha Saka, usurped power in Afghanistan. Citing the oft-quoted dictum, “You make your own fate”, he said that Shamim had made fate surrender to her will.

Tahir Masood said, “I saw an extraordinary woman in the book. Her boldness, frankness and truth were striking. She has no mask.”

He said that she had spoken the stark truth about her ties with her siblings and her parents. “Her book is a presentation of human sympathy,” he said.

Noted journalist Agha Masood said that Shamim had uncovered those who resorted to gender exploitation in the most explicit of manner.

He narrated an incident of a national women’s conference where the late Benazir Bhutto was the chief guest. Agha said that Benazir was singing praises of her government and its achievements when Shamim most boldly interjected, “Inflation is the same, the crime situation is the same. So where’s the improvement?” said Agha, “This miffed Benazir to no end.”

On a more personal note expressing admiration, Mahmud Sham, former editor of Daily Jang, said that Shamim’s smile was as bewitching as it was decades ago. He said her book was a mirror of the times and events of the Afghanistan and sub-continent of yore.

Noted journalist and former PTV managing director, Farhad Zaidi, narrated an incident where the late information minister Maulana Kauser Niazi came over to her place to “condole the death of her husband”. Zaidi said that she gave out a loud laugh and said, “He was alive till twenty minutes ago.”  

He was talking of her composure and poise.

Zaib Azkaar Hussain, chairman of the Karachi Press Club Literary Committee, said that Shamim’s book reflected utmost frankness and truth. He termed it as highly informative and lauded those who inspired her to write the book.

Mussarat Jabeen, former editor, Akhbaar-e-Khawateen, praised Shamim as a highly diligent journalist.

Acknowledging all the accolades, Shamim Akhtar said, “I had vowed never to write a book”. She said that the authorship of the book was induced by Dr Tauseef.

In a nutshell, the book is a compilation of the memoirs of hers and her ancestors’ sojourn from Afghanistan, her meetings with the high and the mighty, with those who had made a mark in their respective fields, and how she learned from them and imparted knowledge to them.

Where one cannot agree with her assessment of things is that while she talks of the not-too-close ties with her family members is her assertion that it was on account of her plain looks for which they treated her differently.

This is something impossible to believe because even right now, she’s stunningly attractive and has a refreshingly winsome face, and, as Mahmud Sham said, her smile is simply bewitching.