KARACHI: “We have learnt everything from our father. Watching him has molded the personalities of me and my siblings. He has taught us to remain well-informed, to work hard, to remain secular in our thinking and to take care of our health and remain fit,” said Dr Naazir Mahmood about his father.

He was speaking at the launch of the book Nigah-i-Aainasaz Mai, based on the interviews conducted by senior scholar Prof Dr Jaffar Ahmed with his nonagenarian father, Rashad Mahmood. The event was organised by the Institute of Historical and Social Research (IHSR) at the Dr Zaki Hasan Auditorium of Sohail University here on Thursday.

“No matter how difficult our financial circumstances, my father always made sure that we had two or three newspapers delivered to our house daily. He wanted us to read the papers and be aware of what was going on around us in the world. He would also make sure that after school, we go to his shop to assist him there. It is from him that we inherited secular views and positive thinking. He showed us that bad people are exceptions and that people generally are all good. He is healthy and fit at age 90 and he has also taught us to not just take care of our minds but also our bodies,” the son added.

Scholar and Director of IHSR Prof Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed said that he would often notice this elderly gentleman listening intently while seated in the audience during their programmes. “Then we found out that he was Dr Naazir’s father. While indulging in conversation with him, it was obvious how interesting a person he was and how much he had seen in life. It was those experiences, which he went through that had helped him grow as the individual he was, We thought of carrying out interviews with him, which we then transcribed to turn into book form,” said Dr Jaffar.

“Since Rashad Sahab has worked with mirrors and has a mirror shop, we decided to title his book accordingly Nigah-i-Aainasaz Mai, which literally means reflections of a mirror-maker,” he added.

Writer Usman Jami thanked Dr Jaffar for introducing Rashad Mahmood through the book. “He is not a common person, he is a poet, a philosopher, a political worker, a writer and a very hard-working human being. Reading the book helps us connect the dots and find the missing links in our history,” he said.

Writer and intellectual Nadeem Akhter also said that the book has a flow. “The interviews are not disconnected. They have a smooth flow and they also open the mind to make it sharp and observant. The book also gives us the entire history of the Leftist movement and the work of Leftists. Each chapter makes you think objectively while also making you open to all opinions while accepting diversity,” he said.

The author, Rashad Mahmood, himself said that he started working at the age of 10 because his mother was widowed early and he happened to be the eldest of six siblings. “After the passing of my father, my mother started working to earn a living. She worked extremely hard. I learned to work hard from her only,” he said.

“Then as I grew older and entered practical life, I also learned ethics, the meaning of politics. My needs made me aware and made me mature. I realised how people can cheat you, how they can rob you of your rights. When you work hard and you are paid less than what you deserve, you get to learn of society and capitalism. You also learn about trade unionism, communism and Marxism,” he said.

“Today, don’t we often hear and say that we should learn from the Chinese? But there is a misconception about communism here. It is thought that it is a system of government that makes everyone poor. But China is not poor. China has given us CPEC. Today, who is saying that we should not work on the CPEC? They are not the communists who are saying it,” he said.

“Marxism is a view, its a vision, its a way of life. If you are against it, then why do you contradict yourself by saying that you should learn from China or follow China?” He said.

Writer and author Zahida Hina, who was presiding over the event, said that Rashad Sahab is a living example of nine decades of splendid life. “He is a treasure trove of education and practicality. He still has a very sharp mind and loves to recite suitable verses for every occasion where he happens to speak,” she said.

“His healthy outlook on life, his hopefulness, his optimism has given him the strength to face all circumstances,” she concluded.

Asad Butt of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, academic Dr Anis Zaidi and Journalist Nazeer Laghari also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2022