KARACHI, May 15: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad on Saturday took great exception to the critical statements made by opposition parties alleging that the government has failed to maintain law and order.
Speaking at a function held to pay tribute to Syed-ul-Ahrar Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Dr Ibad referred to the statement made by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed in which he asked the governor to step down following a bomb blast in a mosque in Sindh Madressahtul Islam which left 19 dead.
"His criticism has made me realize that I am definitely doing something good for the country. These people have always criticized those who do their utmost for the betterment of Pakistan. They did not even spare Quaid-i-Azam," he observed.
On the occasion, the governor announced a donation of Rs500,000 for the Hasrat Mohani Memorial Trust. He also promised that he would look into the grant issue of the trust.
The Pakistan Study Centre director, Dr Syed Jafar Ahmad, said that Hasrat Mohani had always allied himself with radical elements. "As an independent and intrepid journalist, he faced many adversities. The government set his books and invaluable manuscripts on fire right in front of him. He was not allowed to wear glasses in prison. When his father died, he was not informed. And yet he always held fast to his ideals," he said.
Dr Hasan Waqar Gul said Dr Abdul Lais Siddiqui wrote in a book that his doctoral thesis had been examined by many luminaries, including Hasrat. "Hasrat came to Lucknow to give test to Lais Siddiqui. He came in a third class train compartment and stayed at Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqui's. When Aligarh University asked him to get his travel (first class train compartment) and accommodation expenses compensated, he only asked for the fare of a third class train compartment," he said.
Dr Farman Fatehpuri said that Hasrat was not a poor man though his lifestyle was austere. "He inherited lots of property in Fatehpur. A part of his income went towards Haj expenses, devotional functions of saints and the Pakistan Movement," he said.
Dr Fatehpuri called Hasrat a "Haq Parast" poet much to the delight of the audience who clapped enthusiastically.
Prof Sahar Ansari said that Nigar had devoted two of its issues to the life and ideas of Hasrat. "I attended a function in which Jamal Mian Farangi Mahali said that if we wanted to see how the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) must havelived, all we need to do is observe the Hasrat's lifestyle," he said.
Prof Hasnain Kazimi recalled that Hasrat used to sign his name as "Faqir Hasrat Mohani". The prefix Faqir in his signature did not symbolize a want of basis necessities of life, but an indifference to them, he observed, adding that all his life Hasrat had remained to political ideals despite the fact that he had to suffer a lot because of them.
MNA Dr Farooq Sattar read out a message by MQM chief Altaf Hussain. Others speakers included Zafar Mohiuddin, Azfar Rizvi, Wazahat Naseem, Jazib Qureishi, and Muslim Shamim.