I WRITE with reference to the article by Dr Rauf Parekh (Nov 14). I specially refer to the following sentence: “The subsequent editions published during the tenures of Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik and Dr Anwar Ahmed addressed the problem of some errors pointed out by some critics earlier”.

As author of the original work, the late Shanul Haq Haqqee, my father, had personally done the editing, proofreading, and corrections of the first edition of Farhang-i-Talaffuz.

I do clearly recall having been given the corrected, and edited personal copy of the Lughat by Haqqee sahib in Canada for onward delivery to Dr. Fateh Mohammed Malik, then Chairman of the National Language Authority, in his Islamabad office. After reading Dr Parekh’s article I spoke to Dr Fateh Malik, and he does himself remember having received from me the final, corrected version of Farhang. He also kindly recalled giving me a copy of the Farhang for Haqqee sahib, along with a cheque for my father — a nominal amount, but in compensation for his correction, proofreading and editing efforts.

The fragrance of Dr Parekh’s article is still fresh in my mind and in the minds of its readership.

Shayan Haqqee
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2017