Jameeluddin Aali turns 90

KARACHI: Renowned poet, writer, columnist and intellectual, Dr Jameeluddin Aali has said that formerly the Jang was only a newspaper but now it has become an institution.He added that Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman kept him dear throughout his life. Dr Aali said this while talking to this correspondent on the occasion of his 90th birthday. His sons, Raju Jameel and Mirza Naseeruddin and daughters Humaira Mustafa and Rabeea Shadab were also present there. One of his sons, Mirza Murad Jameel wished him on his birthday through phone from Islamabad.
Dr Jameeluddin Aali said he was a witness to the way Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman made this institution, and also contributed to the struggle. He further said that the services of Raees Amrohvi with regard to that struggle could not be ignored.
He prayed, “May the Jang and Geo Group progress by leaps and bounds. May its opponents always burn in the fire of jealousy.” His son Raju Jameel said that the 90th birthday of his father was to be celebrated with fanfare but when Jameeluddin Aali found out that today was the Chehlum of the martyrs of Peshawar school massacre, he strictly asked them to postpone the birthday ceremony, and therefore, they celebrated the occasion with simplicity. He said that the heart of Jameeluddin Aali was full of patriotism and he loved Pakistan and Pakistanis and this love could be seen through his pieces of writing.
He said that Jameeluddin Aali loved Daily Jang as well, and even to this day, a copy of this newspaper was placed with breakfast. He noted that he wrote columns in the Jang for a period of 54 long years, which was a historic fact.He said that the friendship between Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman and Jameeluddin Aali was exemplary, and Aali was deeply sad at Mir Sahib’s demise.
He said that his father often became sad when he observed the circumstances faced by Pakistan. At the end, he prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant good health to Jameeluddin Aali and expressed pride for being his son.