KARACHI, June 15: Tributes were paid to a cartoonist Abdul Sami Khan Dehlavi at a meeting organized by the Sami Art Memorial Society at the Arts Council of Pakistan here late on Saturday evening.

Vice-Chancellor of Urdu University Dr Pirzada Qasim presided over the meeting while Sindh Information Secretary Mahtab A Rashdi was the chief guest.

A book on the works and life of Abdul Sami Khan was also launched and an exhibition of his works, including cartoons, caricatures, sketches, and portraits was also inaugurated.

The speakers said that Sami was the first Muslim cartoonist of the subcontinent. He started his career in Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauher’s Comrade.

They said that his works were printed in over 45 publications, including dailies, weeklies, monthlies even before partition. They also referred to some of his cartoon characters like Gulbaz Khan and Nawab Bankey, which had become popular among people.

Recognizing his talent, they said, Mahatma Gandhi went to his home at the time of partition and asked Sami not to migrate to Pakistan. But, Sami having his commitment with the freedom movement refused and migrated to Pakistan, they added.

They, however, regretted that his work and services for the freedom movement were not duly recognized here in Pakistan, as people had lost their sense of humour and did not like to laugh on their own mistakes.

At present, they said, cartoons were not being given due importance and space in newspapers, they said adding that cartoons are a very powerful and effective way to highlight social as well as political issues in a light manner.

They said that he had even made a cartoon of the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam in 1948, which is almost similar to the design of the Mazar that was made later.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Dr Abul Khair Kashafi, Farhad Zaidi, Hassan Abidi, Masood Barkati, Prof Zakaria Sajid, Prof Hassan Askari Fatimi, Seema Tahir, Farzana Qadri, Arshad Sabri, Ejaz Hussain.