KARACHI, Aug 22: Advisor to the President on law, justice, foreign affairs and human rights, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, has said that Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had the statesmanship of Churchill, the rationale of Roosevelt, the dignity of De’Gaulle and the magnetism of Mandela.
“If we had adhered to the Quaid’s ideals and vision, there would never have been such a complicated and problematic situation in the country as we are facing today”.
He was addressing the launching ceremony of the special Jubilee issue of the journal “Historicus: Quaid-i-Azam Number”, organized by the Pakistan Historical Society and the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan here on Wednesday.
He said that the September-11-2001 event was an international tragedy, but September 11, 1948, was indeed a ‘national tragedy’ when the Quaid died.
Paying glowing tributes to late Hakim Mohammed Said, Pirzada said the Shaheed had done great work for Pakistan and his daughter Saadia Rashid was pursuing his mission. Pirzada said he would pursue the Sindh government for a piece of land for the Pakistan Historical Society.
Praising the “Quaid-i-Azam Number”, he described it as a monumental work on the Quaid and said: “Let us march to stabilise Pakistan by following the ideals of the Quaid— Faith, Unity and Discipline.
Earlier in her welcome address, Saadia Rashid, president of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, recalled when a stage came where the Pakistan Historical Society (PHS) found it difficult to survive due to waning official support and decreasing academic cooperation.
“At that time Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said stepped in to bridge the gap and provided the necessary support”, she said, adding that the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan had continued to honour his commitment to the cause and the Pakistan Historical Society was one of the learned bodies to which the Foundation extended its patronage.
She said the Society had so far published 85 books and its journal had become an internationally heard voice among the South Asian historical studies. She said the Society needed a piece of land for its proposed Institute of historical studies and research.
She expressed the hope that Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada would help the Society to get land as his voice was honoured by the national and government circles.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Riazul Islam, professor emeritus University of Karachi, highlighted the importance of economic history.
Eminent scholar and educationist, Professor Sharif- al- Mujahid, said it was time to concentrate on specifics, chosen subjects on the work and life of the Quaid.
He was of the opinion that focus should be laid on thematic work rather than going for generalised research on the Quaid. He said education historiography should be taught up to the postgraduate level.
Dr Jaffer Ahmed, director Pakistan Studies Centre, University of Karachi, observed that historians had not done justice to the Quaid.
He said that research on the Quaid’s life and work was mostly done by foreigners who had ignored the ground realities. “No research has been done in our universities and there is a need to create research culture and train students for the purpose”, said Dr jaffer.
Dr Ansar Zahid Khan, general secretary of the Pakistan Historical Society, presented the vote of thanks. Dr Jawed Hussain, chairman of the Department of History, University of Karachi, did the compered the function which was largely attended by historians, scholars, educationists, prominent citizens, teachers and students of history.—APP