The University of Sargodha paid glowing tribute to Maulana Zafar Ali Khan for his illustrious and invaluable services in journalism, politics, literature, and for the independence of Pakistan.
The event titled “Maulana Zafar Ali Khan: A Multidimensional Personality” was jointly organized by the Department of Communication and Media Studies and the Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust.
The seminar was graced by the Dean Faculty of Arts & Humanities Prof. Dr. Ghulam Abbas Gondal, renowned academician Prof. Dr. Shafiq Jhalandhari, senior journalist Sajjad Mir, Secretary Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust Syed Taseer Mustafa and Incharge Department of Communication and Media Studies Noman Yaser. Senior faculty members and students in large numbers attended the seminar.
Dinstinguished speakers at the seminar urged future media practitioners to read and adopt the journalistic values of truthfulness and bravery introduced by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan.
Taseer Mustafa informed the audience that Khan was the foremost leader of Pakistan Movement, outstanding journalist, reputed orator and poet of great caliber. He was a huge fan of Pakistan’s national poet Allama Iqbal, another ‘son of Sialkot’. “When Zafar Ali Khan was the editor of the Zamindar newspaper, it was regarded as the premier Urdu newspaper for Muslims, having a publication of around 25 thousand. The publication was harsh on Punjabi ‘zamindars’ (feudals), who were largely uneducated and had little time for culture,” Mustafa expressed.
Veteran journalist Sajjad Mir mentioned that his courage and perseverance was remarkable because when he started his career as a journalist, the circumstances were not favorable. “I wish we had more heroes like Khan today, who could stand up against the forces of tyranny and injustice with bravery”. He said that Maulana Zafar Ali Khan remained at the forefront in the struggle for creation of Pakistan and fought against the British regime in the subcontinent.
Prof. Dr. Shafiq Jhalandhari shed light on Khan’s multidimensional personality and said that during that time, Lahore was the hub of Urdu publishers with Hindus owning all three well-known newspapers: Partab, Mehrab, and VI Bharat. Khan, on the other hand, and his publication did a lot for igniting the spirit of freedom among muslims and propagating Pakistan’s cause.
Prof. Dr. Ghulam Abbas Gondal highlighted that Khan’s love of poetry began when he was a child, and his poems were filled with religious and political sentiments. His poetry in ‘Baharistan,’ ‘Nigaristan,’ and ‘Chamanistan.’ ‘Marka-e-Mazhab-o-Science,’ ‘Ghalba-e-Rum,’ ‘Sayr-e-Zulmet,’ and an opera, ‘Jang-e-Roos-o-Japan,’ are among his literary masterpieces. At the end, Dr Ghulam Abbas presented souvenirs to the distinguished guests.
