Soliciting attention of PM Imran
HON Mr Prime Minister: With due reverence, I am taking the liberty of penning this entreaty to you for your perusal and kind consideration.
I wish to bring to your kind attention an important issue that I had earlier raised with the former Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, former Chief Justice, Justice Saqib Nisar and the {then} Chairman CDA.
What I had penned to them vis-à-vis the referenced issue unfortunately went totally unheeded. Secretariats of the above dignitaries didn’t even bother to acknowledge my communications addressed to them.
I am now proffering my plea to you with the hope that it would be considered earnestly this time.
Mr. Prime Minister, the matter relates to none other than the person of a profoundly staunch Pakistani, a veteran politician from former East Pakistan and one of pre-eminent Pakistan Movement leaders, late Mr. Mahmud Ali.
Your time is precious, I wouldn’t, therefore, go into details of his profile and get down to the crux of the matter forthwith.
Besides, detailed background information vis-a-vis the veteran politician is available on Wikipedia and has also been published by Pakistan Post along with the commemorative postage stamp issued by it, in his honor, on February 18, 2020.
Needless to say, It speaks volumes about his unparalleled sacrifices and contribution towards not only the cause of Pakistan but also towards the Kashmir cause.
Mr. Prime Minister, you would kindly appreciate that successive governments, for some unknown reasons, consigned a person of late Mr. Mahmud Ali’s standing and repute to oblivion.
He certainly didn’t deserve the treatment that was meted out to him, after his sad demise, by past governments.
My hats off to your government for directing Pakistan Post to publish and issue a commemorative postage stamp to pay tribute to him. I unfeignedly applaud this bold initiative of your government. Honestly speaking, late Mr. Mahmud Ali deserves considerably more.
I sincerely urge you to direct the relevant government departments to take the following immediate measures to grant him the recognition that he so genuinely merits: (1) Confer on him Pakistan’s highest national award “Nishan-e-Pakistan”. (2) Name a Road/Avenue in his name in the capital. (3) Build a Memorial in his name in the capital.
Expeditious execution of the above proposals, you would appreciate, will ensure grant of long- overdue recognition to the late veteran politician and Pakistan Movement leader of international renown, Mr. Mahmud Ali. Needless to say, it would also prove to be yet another hallmark of your government in granting recognition to national heroes.
In conclusion, Mr. Prime Minister please allow me to say that nations which fail to recognize the sacrifices and contribution of their founding leaders can never see the heights of glory.
Let us, therefore, lay the foundation of recognizing the true leaders of this country by honoring them deservedly for their unparalleled sacrifices and services.
Commemorative Postage Stamp issued by Pakistan Post, in February 2020, to pay tribute to veteran politician and Pakistan Movement leader, late Mahmud Ali.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
