LAHORE: The Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) has launched the digital archives of ‘Zamindar,’ the famous Urdu newspaper of the first half-century of the 20th century. These archives are available at zamindar.pucit.edu.pk.

PUCIT Principal Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar said here on Friday that its Digital Archives Project started in 2013 with the initial idea to digitise a few historically important editions of ‘Zamindar’.

“However, the college undertook the task of digitising editions of this historical newspaper available in the Punjab University. Currently, its digital editions are available from October 1921 to April 1926 with the exception of those that were missing in the university archives,” he said.

Dr Sarwar said the PUCIT had also digitised the paper editions of Inqalab. “The PUCIT intends to add to this project the missing editions to Zamindar and Inqalab, as well as add to this library the digital versions of the Civil and Military Gazette, the famous UK-based English daily.”

He added the college would work with the Punjab Public Library to digitise and preserve the paper archives of the various other defunct newspapers of historical importance, and make these e-papers available to researchers as well as the general public.

Maulana Sirajuddin Ahmed, the father of ‘Baba-i-Sahafat’ (father of journalism) Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, launched ‘Zamindar’ as a weekly magazine from Lahore in January 1903. It was initially intended to discuss the issues of farmers and landowners. Maulana Sirajuddin moved the newspaper to Karamabad in district Wazirabad in June 1903. After the death of his father in 1909, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan started the publication of the newspaper from Lahore on May 1, 1911. ‘Zamindar’ eventually became a daily Urdu newspaper of immense historical importance to the Muslim India, particularly, due to its publication of anti-British and pro-Muslim news and editorials. After his death on November 27, 1956, Maulana’s son Akhtar Ali Khan continued to publish the newspaper. After Akhtar Ali Khan’s imprisonment and 14-year jail sentence, the paper was closed forever.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2018