PIF remembers Prof Mirza

Islamabad Human rights defender Tahira Abdullah has said that Prof Ashfaq Saleem Mirza was a multifaceted fountain of knowledge of history, political philosophy, modernism, secularism, Marxism, socialism, capitalism, globalisation, and much more.

Ms Tahira was speaking at a reference organised here by the Pakistan Intellectual Forum (PIF) at the Pakistan Academy of Letters.

Ms. Tahira observed that Mirza Sahib will be remembered as a wonderful human being who left an enduring legacy of academic writings along with cultural and peace activism for our youth to follow.

She said that like many others, she also used to address him as “Professor Sahib” who was a cultural and peace activist with Islamabad Cultural Forum, Pak-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. He generously accepted and brought together people of different ideologies who will greatly miss him after his sad demise.

Ms. Tahira also presented her Urdu translation of a tribute written by peace activist, artist, and environmentalist Fouzia Minallah on the occasion.

Sharing her personal interaction and experience with Prof Mirza, Dr. Noor Fatima who had been associated with the renowned Prof Mirza in organizing fortnightly functions with him under the banner of Islamabad Cultural Forum, said that his professional and personal life was grounded in self-discipline and strong work ethics.

“I will certainly Prof Mirza as the most humane and progressive person I’ve ever known. He always held women in high esteem,” said Dr. Noor who is currently teaching International Relations at IIU.