LARKANA: Speakers showered praise on comrade Shanta Bukhari for her unmatched services for the working classes at a condolence reference for the late communist leader at the press club here on Saturday.

Octogenarian communist leader comrade Sobho Gianchandani called the late comrade Zaibunnisa aka Shanta Bukhari a true and committed worker of the communist party and said she was like a ‘university’ for communists.

He said that it was amazing to see how Ms Shanta, a textile worker in Ahmedabad, India, rose to become a committed political worker of the communist party.

She embraced Islam in 1943, got married to comrade Jamaluddin Bukhari and migrated to Pakistan where Mr Bukhari was the then general secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan, he said.

It was her unflinching commitment to the cause that she worked shoulder to shoulder with her husband, he said.

He said that hers was a multi-dimensional personality and her doors never closed for the poor, workers, women and labourers because she shared their sufferings in the true sense.

Abdul Razzak Soomro, former ambassador to the UAE and a next-door neighbour of Mr Bukhari, recalled his meetings with the latter in 1943.

“I used to live near Mr Bukhari’s house after having returned from Karachi in 1953. I used to call comrade Shanta a sister wh o served the poor, workers, women and the have-nots throughout her life,” he said.

Former MPA Haji Munawwar Ali Abbasi talked of relations of Abbasi-Bukhari families and said women like the late Shanta were born in centuries. She always remained attached to workers, women and labourers, he said, adding Z.A. Bhutto and comrade Bukhari had been friends and they never left his side throughout his life.

Renowned Sindhi short story writer and TV playwright Manzoor Kohyar called her a symbol of courage and said her resolve remained unshaken in all ups and downs of life and she braved all odds when comrade Jamaluddin was jailed.

She had not only proved herself an great wife, a dedicated and loving mother but also a true party worker. These qualities were rarely found in adequate proportion in one personality, she said.

Khalid Chandio, Munawwar Sultan Bukhari, Mukarram Bukhari, Moazzam Bukhari and others also spoke on the occasion. A book on articles about comrade Shanta was also launched on the occasion.

The reference was jointly organised by the press club and Anjuman Musannifeen Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 31st , 2014