KARACHI: The book launch of a biographical account on former mayor of Karachi H.M. Habibullah Paracha held at the Mohatta Palace on Sunday was a poignant affair for many reasons. Mr Paracha is credited for contributing to the overall development of the country, and his many admirers were present to pay tribute to the larger than life figure, respected and revered by all.

Khan Bahadur Habibullah Paracha was an “entrepreneur, a politician, a statesman and a diplomat”. Paracha: HM Habibullah’s Journey Across the Silk Road and Beyond has been written by Mr Paracha’s granddaughter Nazli Rafat Jamal about a young 14-year-old boy from the village of Mukhad who traversed different terrains to achieve greatness.

Ms Jamal, sharing her inspiration behind writing the book, spoke about how, when reading a profile on Mr Paracha online, she realised that many personal details were missing from the write-up.

“I realised that I knew so much more about this awe-inspiring individual who was at the helm of all affairs, and so decided to take up the task of writing about him,” she said.

Ms Jamal believed herself to be the perfect candidate to write on the subject as she had access to the best source possible on Mr Paracha — her father, Saifullah Paracha.

Professor and historian Dr Hamida Khuhro spoke about the relevance of the publication in a historical context. She referred to it as a trip down memory lane, “an adventure tale of a striking figure, one who played a prominent role in the social and political sphere of Pakistan”.

Dr Khuhro shared examples from the book which charted the many travels of Mr Paracha who, she said, lived and experienced exceptional times. From Russia, China and Japan, as well as his stay in Pakistan, she said that the book “reveals hidden corners to our history”.

SR Poonegar’s close association with the Habibullah family over decades allowed a more comprehensive view of Mr Paracha which was best exhibited during a recollection of their first meeting.

“This towering personality, on our first meeting, spoke on different topics but the conversation usually steered to Quetta,” he said. From the sleepy town’s chinar trees, to the mere five or six cars present in the whole city, Mr Paracha had very fond memories of Quetta.

According to Mr Poonegar, lopsided development in the province worried many and during the time of Ayub Khan, Mr Paracha was invited to invest in Balochistan, along with many other industrialists. “However, only Mr Paracha has the acumen and courage to invest in Balochistan.”

Former senator and writer Javed Jabbar paid tribute to a man who he said typified the very qualities of the city of Karachi.

Mr Paracha, he said, “was a man who transcended his birth and became a Pakistani to the core”. Though he belonged to a different ethnic background, he had the ability to “reach out and emphathise with the people of Karachi who belonged to different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.”

Speaking about the book, Mr Jabbar said it could be classified under different genres; from being a biography, a historical narrative, an anthropological work, a travelogue as well as a thriller. “And for this credit must be given to the writer,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2015

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