Prof Mateen-ur-Rehman’s book launched at KU

Karachi University on Thursday launched the second edition of a book titled ‘Mein Ne Pakistan Bante Dekha’, which is based on the childhood memories of the migration of Prof Syed Mateen-ur-Rehman Murtaza.

The late Murtaza was a well-known journalist and former chairman of the University of Karachi’s department of mass communications. In his book, Prof Murtaza has shared his childhood memories of migration and mentioned the experiences after separating from the family along with his younger brother.

The speakers at the book launch informed the audience that the book contains the hardships experienced by Prof Murtaza and how and why he fell in love with Pakistan. The speakers included Dean Arts and Social Sciences Professor Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah, seasoned journalist Mahmood Sham, former dean Arts and Social Sciences Prof Dr Shams Uddin, former Mass Communications Department chairman Prof Dr Tahir Masood, Director Bureau of Composition, Compilation and Translation Syed Iqbal Hussain, Prof Dr Nisar Ahmed Zuberi and Mass Communications Department Chairperson Dr Fauzia Naz.

They talked about what had happened at the time of the establishment of Pakistan, and what happened to those who migrated to Pakistan and what Hindus and Sikhs did to them. The speakers observed that as Partition-related memories had been written by the eyewitness, it would surely have a huge impact on our younger generation.

The speakers informed the audience how Prof Murtaza had recalled the time when the Muslims, who had left their homes with their families and crossed the river of blood to reach Pakistan.

Prof Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah announced that she would make sure that the book “Mein ne Pakistan Bante Dekha” must be present in all seminar libraries so that our young generation could study it.

Dr Fauzia Naz said that through his writing he had always guided the faculty members, students and his audience. Prof Dr Tahir Masood said that Prof Mateen-ur-Rehman Murtaza held many positions; he was a teacher, a journalist and a thinker. “There were intellectuals who could find solutions even to difficult and complex problems. He was a great man who had no desire for fame and position. He used to sit in the corner to complete his work.”

Prof Zuberi said Prof Murtaza had written a lot in his short book. He urged that the youth should read this book so that they could realise how difficult it was to migrate from their then homes to the newly established motherland. The department’s faculty, students and Prof Murtaza’s family also attended the book-launching ceremony.