KARACHI: The University of Karachi on Thursday launched the second edition of the book titled Main ne Pakistan Bante Dekha, which is based on childhood memories of migration of Professor Syed Mateen-ur-Rehman Murtaza.

The late Mateen Murtaza was a well-known veteran journalist and the former chairman of KU’s department of mass communication. In his book, Professor Mateen has shared his childhood memories of migration and mentioned the experiences after separating from the family along with his younger brother.

The speakers at the book launch informed the audience that the book contains experiences of Prof Mateen and how and why he fell in love with Pakistan.

The speakers included dean Arts and Social Sciences Prof Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah, seasoned journalist Mahmood Sham, former dean arts and social sciences Prof Dr Shams Uddin, ex-chairman Mass Communication Department Prof Dr Tahir Masood, director Bureau of Composition, Compilation and Translation Syed Iqbal Hussain, Prof Dr Nisar Ahmed Zuberi and the chairperson KU-MCD Dr Fauzia Naz.

The speakers talked about what had happened at the time of the establishment of Pakistan, and what happened to those who migrated to Pakistan. The speakers observed that as the partition-related memories have been written by an eyewitness, it would surely have a huge impact on our younger generation.

The speakers informed the audience how Prof Mateen Murtaza has recalled the time when the Muslims, who had left their homes with their entire families, crossed the river of blood to reach Pakistan. Prof Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah announced that she would make sure that the book Main ne Pakistan Bante Dekha must be present in all seminar libraries so that our young generation can study it.

Dr Fauzia Naz said that through his writing he has always guided the faculty members, students and his audience. Prof Dr Tahir Masood said that Prof Mateen-ur-Rehman held many positions; he was a teacher, the other was that he was a journalist and he was a thinker too. He was a great man who had no desire for fame and position. He used to sit in the corner to complete his work.

Prof Dr Nisar Zuberi said that Prof Mateen-ur-Rehman wrote a lot in his short book. He urged the youth to read this book so that they could realize how difficult it was to migrate from their then homes to the newly established motherland.

The department’s faculty, students and Prof Mateen Murtaza’s family also attended the book launching ceremony.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2021