MULTAN City News

Nawabzada Nasrullah remembered

on 13th death anniversary

From Nadeem Shah

MULTAN: Political workers have paid rich tributes to Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, the father of democracy, on his 13th death anniversary.

Talking to The News here on Monday, the political workers remained involved in democratic struggle emphasised revival of political culture of tolerance introduced by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. They said that the towering personality would always be remembered as a beacon of light in the history of Pakistan and his struggle for democracy would be on even after his life.

A senior political worker, Hakim Mehmood Khan, who spent 30 years of his political career under the leadership of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, said: “I have joined the Pakistan Democratic Party in 1970.” Referring to today’s political values, he said that the opposition was fragmented into pieces. Nawabzada Nasrullah formed the opposition alliance - Democratic Action Committee - to remove the then military dictator president Ayub Khan from power, he said, adding that Nasrullah also played a key role in the formation of the Pakistan National Alliance. Later, he invited Begum Nusrat Bhutto to join the MRD against Gen Ziaul Haq. Nawabzada was also made chairman of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.

Senior PPP leader Malik Mukhtar Awan had spent a great time with Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. He said that he frequently visited Nawabzada’s Lahore residence to learn politics from him. One day when he reached the residence of Nawabzada, a heavy contingent of police raided and arrested Nawabzada and him. We were locked in a building on Lahore Jail Road and released after 10 days.

Mukhtar Awan said that Makhdoom Amin Fahim was elected the ARD chairman and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi as its president after the death of Nawabzada. He said that Nawabzada was the martyr of democracy as he strived to unite the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The veteran politician was a true democrat, he added.

Recalling past memories, Mukhtar Awan said that Nawabzada Nasrullah resumed his role of the opposition leader during the second term of Mian Nawaz Sharif in 1997 and formed the Pakistan National Union that was later turned into the Grand Democratic Alliance. When Gen Pervez Musharraf took over the reins of power, Nawabzada succeeded to bring the two rival parties - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party - under the banner of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.

Majlis-e-Ehrar Pakistan vice-president Syed Kafil Shah Bokhari said that Syed Attaullah Shah Bokhari of Multan had formed the party on December 29, 1929 in Lahore and Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan joined it in 1932-33. Kafil Shah said that Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan was the symbol of tolerance, nobility and patience. He was also a poet.

Meanwhile, a number of functions were held to observe the death anniversary of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan in south Punjab. His elder son Nawabzada Mansoor Khan also organised a ceremony.