Book on 1965 war launched

ISLAMABAD: A book on the 1965 war between India and Pakistan titled Jang Setambar Ki Yaadain by Altaf Hassan Qureshi was launched on Thursday.

According to a press release, the launch was attended by politicians, literary figures and war veterans who praised the book for presenting the real picture of history to the new generation.

Addressing the function, Qureshi said the credit for the book goes to his grandson Aiqan who put together the work he had been doing for the last 50 or 60 years. He said as a witness to the 1965 war, he tried to pen every detail of the war while it was still fresh in his mind.

“This book will take you to the grounds of the 1965 war, which is why I highly encourage the youth to read it and take a walk down memory lane for a better understanding,” he said.

Muhammad Mehdi, foreign affairs expert and columnist, said Qureshi has always written about Pakistan’s turmoil and even engages students by asking their opinion on the issues facing the country.

He said the book is detailed and starts from the events of the Khilafat Movement, whereas other writers “have just described war”.

“He has talked about the scenarios that led to the war of 1965. And if a comparison is drawn between his and other books about the 1965 war, we see the realities of the war through the eyes of a firsthand witness of the war. It looks like we haven’t been taught the realities of war,” he said.

PML-Z President Ijazul Haq said the book explains that when the parliament was weak and the economy was down, the army performed well in the 1965 war.

Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Sadat said Pakistan has fought three major wars with India and the Pakistan Air Force has always shown itself to be well trained and motivated to fight.

He said the latest example of this was in February this year. He said the value of Qureshi’s work for future and recorded history of Pakistan is immeasurable. Vice Admiral Farooq Rashid said people need to remember their history.

“The book has thoroughly covered the part of Pakistan Navy during the 1965 war. The book is comprised of primary data which makes it a treasure for every reader. This book has been launched at a very critical moment and we must learn from it,” he said.