Colleagues, admirers praise Muqtada Mansoor for his intellect, progressive ideals

Glowing tributes were heaped on journalist and academic Muqtada Mansoor at a condolence reference for him at the Arts Council on Sunday evening. He passed away last month while undergoing a cardiac surgery.

A stream of speakers was there at the event who reminisced about their association with the late journalist and praised his contributions to the leftist and progressive politics. “He spoke with courage of conviction,” said Saleem Siddiqui. He lauded Mansoor for wanting a just society in Pakistan where people were happy.

Most speakers talked about his deep knowledge of almost everything and how they had benefited from it. Railways labour leader Manzoor Razi said Mansoor’s columns always condemned class discrimination in the most forceful manner. He offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Anjum Rizvi, an official of the Liaquat National Hospital, narrated his acquaintance with Mansoor and informed the audience how much he had learnt from him in their weekly sittings. Noted journalist Pirzada Salman termed the late journalist a person with rich intellect. He recalled that Mansoor once asked him where he was from. When he replied that he was from Panipat, the deceased gave him detailed information about the place. “It was so comprehensive,” he remarked.

Salman fondly remembered lunch sittings at the Karachi Press Club where Mansoor sat with Ghazi Salahuddin and Faisal Sayani and imparted information. Ahmed Malik, former president of the Karachi Press Club (KPC), said Mansoor could talk most authoritatively on any subject under the sun and he never compromised on his views. “His columns were bold and honest,” Malik remarked.

Gulzar Hadi, who is affiliated with one of the Rotary Clubs in the city, eulogised Mansoor for being a real stickler for punctuality, a virtue, which according to him, was sadly lacking in our society.

Another labour leader, Nasir Mansoor, in his tribute to the departed, said Mansoor had written much against the ethnic and linguistic divide in Sindh. He also termed his demise a great loss to the labour movement.

Dr Ayub Sheikh referred to the late journalist as the “elite of the left”. Paying tribute to Mansoor, Naghma Sheikh said Mansoor’s columns were a source of strength to the student community, especially the NSF. Many other speakers also spoke on the occasion. One of them was so overwhelmed with emotions that he broke down and could not continue his speech.