KARACHI: Need stressed to disseminate Alavi’s work
KARACHI, Dec 21: There was consensus at a reference on Sunday that Prof Hamza Alavi’s work should be collected and disseminated so that more and more people could learn about and benefit from his research done for the exclusive purpose of bringing about a change in the country.
Talking about the apparent little influence of Alavi’s scholarly work on society, noted historian Dr Mubarak Ali pointed out that intellectuals came up with fresh ideas and suggested workable solutions to various issues if the society was receptive and realized the need for change. But, he maintained, intellectuals fell victim to ignorance and were forced out if the society was not ready to accept the change. So long as intellectuals endorsed the status quo and proposed only superficial changes without going out of set limits, they were received well and accorded honour. But, Dr Mubarak said, if intellectuals suggested something that would challenge the status quo then they were ignored and forced out by the powers that be. Razi’s and Abul Fazal’s names were cases in point, he said, obliquely referring to the inadequate treatment meted out to Alavi.
Dr Mubarak linked the need for studying Alavi’s research to efforts aimed at finding answers to certain questions people, particularly the younger generation, today ask such as why and how Pakistan came into being, who made it, was its creation right, who was benefiting from it, etc?
He was of the view that Alavi’s work could help us answer these questions and then move ahead to see how a change for the better could be brought about.
Rejecting reports that Alavi had joined the Yahya regime as to him issues were more important than political allegiance, Dr Mubarak said the great scholar had never joined hands with the regime. He condemned the attempts to bracket Alavi with the military junta.
Prof Haider Ansari, who taught history at the London University, discussed the role Alavi had played in the struggle for the rights of Bengali people. He said Alavi brought out a newsletter Jaddojehad and added that in early 1971 he organized marches in London for the purpose.
Senior journalist Zubeida Mustafa pointed out that one always learned when Alavi expressed his thoughtful views on a particular issue.
Journalist M.B. Naqvi said the most significant aspect of Alavi’s person was that he was open-minded and that he always put forward rational arguments to emphasize his point.
He said though Alavi was a Marxist, yet he broke with certain Marxist theories while he discussed issues in the context of Pakistan’s circumstances. He called for a fellowship programme on Alavi’s research.
Speaking at the gathering organized by monthly Badalti Dunya to pay tribute to the great scholar, Tasneem Siddiqui talked about the bureaucratic control over the country’s affairs right from the beginning. It was the bureaucracy that took the decisions, he said, adding cabinets only signed their endorsement to them.
Peace activist Saeed Hasan Khan and Sarwar Javed also spoke. — Rafique Jalal
