THATTA: Scholars, historians and literati gathered at Sarwaich Sujawali Library in Sujawal on Sunday evening to pay homage Aziz Jaffrani, an eminent academician, historian, researcher, archaeologist, writer and poet on the occasion of the scholar’s 16th death anniversary.

They eulogised his larger than life contribution to Sindhi, Pashto, Persian and English literature, history, and cultural heritage at the programme organised jointly by the Aziz Jaffrani Yadgar Committee and the provincial culture department.

Dr Muhammad Ali Manjhi, former director general of culture department, said that born on Jan 18, 1944, in Chuhar Jamali town, Sujawal district, Jaffrani authored seminal works such as Sujawal jee tareekh, Tareekh-e-Jati ja nawan warq, and Sujawal ji samaji, saqafati aen syasi tahreek.

His deep research unearthed Sujawal’s transformation from its ancient identity as Maanjar -- a historic wetland settlement recorded in the Aaeen-e-Akbari -- to its later renaming under the Talpur dynasty, he said.

Dr. Attaullah Shah Bukhari, additional secretary of culture department, described Jaffrani as a bridge between the ancient soil of Sindh and its modern consciousness and a man whose pen documented untold histories with meticulous clarity and unflinching honesty. “Jaffrani’s writings are not mere books; they are living chronicles of our collective memory,” he said.

Prof Qamar-uz-Zaman Shah remarked that Jaffrani’s historical works stood as pillars of authenticity for future scholars and historians. “Jaffrani did not just write history, he became part of it,” he said.

Jaffrani’s son Zubair Jaffrani, a librarian at Sarwaich Sujawali Library, disclosed that during his last years his father had resumed translation of Shah jo risalo into Pashto but unfortunately he could not complete it in his life. The family was making efforts to get the task completed, he said.

Sufi Hazoor Bux and Mumtaz Laghari lauded Jaffrani’s role in fostering literary spaces, notably his establishment of a library under the Sindhi Adabi Sangat Sujawal branch in 1967, which nurtured literary spirit in Sujawal’s youth for decades.

Rasool Bux Tamimi and Ghulam Muhammad Johar spoke of Jaffrani’s contribution to Sindhi short stories and novels, particularly highlighting Masoom, - a novel that delicately wove social realism with philosophical inquiry.

In their tributes, Anwar Shah Sondai and Zahid Ishaque Soomro emphasised the relevance of Jaffrani’s translated works, such as Islam ain Jadeediat.

Senior journalist Iqbal Khwaja said that he joined Jaffrani’s exploratory missions along the coastlines of Thatta and Badin, unearthing a trove of ancient navigation records that shed new light on the region’s vibrant maritime history. He traced the historic routes connecting the Indus delta to the Arabian Sea and onward to the bustling ports of Khaleej and Persia, he said.

Prof Dr Ismail Memon recounted his personal interactions with Jaffrani, recalling his passion for education and his relentless pursuit of truth through research.

The gathering passed a resolution urging educational institutions and cultural organisations to incorporate Jaffrani’s works into academic curricula.

Earlier, the department of culture announced plans to publish Jaffrani’s unpublished manuscripts including Manjar ji adab nawazi, Tareekh baitul mukaddas, and Islam ain qaumiyat, and the establishment of a public library in his name in Sujawal.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025