January 24, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 23, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 23: Sir Haji Abdullah Haroon’s name is etched in Sindh’s history amongst its leaders. In fact, his role in the creation of Pakistan and as a close associate of the Quaid-i-Azam places him amongst the earliest crusaders who worked for the creation of a new nation. The many philanthropic services and financial contributions that he rendered for Sindh, were remembered at the book launch of the biography Haji Sir Abdullah Haroon penned by his eldest daughter, Doulat Haroon Hidayatullah.

The biography, published by the Oxford University Press, is a reprint of the first edition brought out in the early years of Pakistan and which had a foreword by the then prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan. The present edition carries a foreword by Princess Sarvath of Jordan, granddaughter of Sir Abdullah Haroon’s contemporary from Bengal Sir Hassan Suharwardy.

Graced by Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro, the evening was a large gathering of close family members of the Haroons and Hidayatullahs – placed amongst the first families of Sindh – plus a number of the literati and elite of the city.

In her welcome note, Ameena Syed emphasized the importance and need for keeping alive significant writings from the past, and the reasons why reprints of earlier editions were necessary to rekindle important aspects of history.

Paying tribute to the literary efforts by Doulat Haroon, her son-in-law Ali Khalili said that she had put in her best efforts in recreating the larger than life figure of Sir Abdullah Haroon. He also acknowledged her own role in being one of Pakistan’s pioneering women who was also among the founding members of the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA).

Doulat Haroon’s elder son Ghazanfar Hidayatullah read excerpts in between from the edition while introducing the speakers, and her younger son Munawwar Hidayatullah came on to pay a tribute to his mother and her effort for her father who was a multifaceted personality.

Mr Hameed Haroon presented a slide with rare photographs of Sir Abdullah, tracing the latter’s life through his early years as an orphan who had to make his life selling simple wares on the streets to his rise as one of the most influential businessmen in Sindh and finally a sugar king and a leading municipal councillor and legislative member.

The slide show also took the audience through Sir Abdullah’s personal conflicts, with the eventual attainment of harmony in his domestic life after his third marriage to the woman of his choice against his mother’s wishes.

Mr Hameed Haroon also pointed out that the book should perhaps be referred to as Doulat Haroon’s memoirs of her father because it particularly documents those aspects which were clearer and more revered by her. He said: “Today is not just about Abdullah Haroon alone but it is about Doulat Haroon and Sir Abdullah’s life as revealed through the eyes of a daughter, who was only about 30 years of age when she wrote her book.”

He particularly noted that amongst the few people who are ‘primary sources of information’ on the life of Sir Abdullah Haroon, Doulat Haroon is perhaps the closest. The other two lieutenants are Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi, who has done much to keep the name of Sir Abdullah Haroon alive, and G. M. Syed who has also documented his life extensively.

Doulat Haroon’s daughter Charmaine Hidayatullah thanked her family’s efforts in coming together to launch the book, also thanking the OUP for publishing the second edition of the biography.

Mr Mohammedmian Soomro, as the chief guest, appreciated the work put in by everyone to publish the life of a great leader of Sindh, and lauded the OUP’s continued efforts in this direction.