KARACHI: President Mamnoon Hussain ordered the relevant authorities on Saturday that University Road be renamed after Jamiluddin Aali to pay homage to the great poet, writer and campaigner for the cause of Urdu.

He made this announcement at the inauguration of Urdu Bagh, a new complex that will house Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu’s office, library and related sections, in Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s Block 1, off University Road. The road running along the complex was also declared Urdu Bagh Road.

Earlier a speaker had suggested that in recognition of Aaliji’s services to Urdu language and literature, at least a city road be named after him.

The president left the podium after his speech and sat with Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar for a while and returned to the podium to make an ‘important announcement’. He said he had talked to the mayor and they both agreed that University Road be renamed as Jamiluddin Aali Road.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Fatema Hassan, Anjuman’s honorary secretary, praised the role the president played in the construction of the building. She said the president had paid Rs36 million for the construction from his discretionary funds. Besides, Anjuman spent Rs150m on the provision of the utilities at the complex. She also praised the mayor who, she said, had helped remove encroachments in the vicinity and rebuilt a decent stretch of road leading to the place.

The president lauded the role Anjuman’s pioneers, particularly Baba-i-Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq, had played in promoting Urdu and called for making Urdu as the medium of instruction at college and university levels.

Counting his own efforts for the promotion of the language, he said he had named various sections of President House in Islamabad after Urdu literary figures in place of English nomenclatures.

He said though the funds at his discretion were limited, he would do whatever he could more to get the complex completed as planned. He appealed to philanthropists in love of Urdu language and literature to help build the proposed sections of the complex, estimated to cost Rs225m.

He appreciated poets and writers whose mother tongue is other than Urdu for their contribution to Urdu. He particularly mentioned the name of Ahmed Faraz, a popular Urdu poet from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in that regard and said his couplet summed up his sentiments.

Shikwa-i-zulmat-i-shab se to kahin behtar tha Apne hisse ki koi shamaa jalate jaate Anjuman’s president Zulqarnain Jamil, also a son of Aaliji, thanked the guests. Rukhsana Saba conducted the event.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018