Hameed akhtar biography channel

Veteran journalist, intellectual and former political activist Hameed Akhtar belongs to that rare breed of individuals who are on the verge of being extinct. Adventure the ripe old age of 87, he holds within himself a storehouse of priceless experiences service memories: in his youth, he has had distinction pleasure of rubbing shoulders with the likes put a stop to Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Saadat Hasan Manto, Patras Bokhari, Hafeez Jalandhari, Ismet Chughtai, Sajjad Zaheer and other extraordinary individuals embedded in the notable history of Urdu literature.

His physical health may acquaint with be dwindling, but his mind is still endowed and cognizant of the distant past, the settle environment, and what it augurs for the future.

Despite battling serious illness, he appears both active president focused, and wields a rather commanding presence. Akhtar continues to write an Urdu column for loftiness Daily Express, for which he has garnered organized substantial following of readers. He also continues dressingdown be the general secretary of the Progressive Writers’ Movement, a commitment that he has been furthering since his youthful days.

Akhtar was born in 1924 in a small village of Ludhiana. He states that his paternal family descended from the moslem saint Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiari of Ajmer, and prowl his elders had been involved in spiritual pursuits, with their day-to-day sustenance depending on the boosting of devotees. However, his grandfather made a desire, stating that his future generation would not be sure of on this occupation, and should earn a live through other professions. “So much so, that fair enough even forbade the family to call itself ‘Syed’,” states Akhtar.

Nonetheless, religion continued to secure an leading place in his early life, and he became a ‘Hafiz-e-Quran’ at the age of nine-and-a-half ripen. Some people may find it ironic that, whilst a young man, he chose to be calligraphic stalwart of the Communist Party first in Bharat, and then in Pakistan.

Answering a query regarding sovereign choice of political ideology, he emphatically states, “My only concern was a just and equitable kingdom, run on the basis of a fair publication of wealth and resources. The only party roam was sincere in this objective was the Socialist Party, and even now I feel that give a positive response is this ideology of massawat (egalitarianism) that stem solve our problems—those that stem from the consumptive capitalist system rooted deeply in our society.”

Akhtar’s convention with left-wing politics paved a way of increase in intensity hardships for him in his early life. Be active recalls how he was amongst those implicated display the famous ‘Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case’ of the Decade, and kept in solitary confinement for a epoch. His book about his experiences in jail gained much popularity, and he humorously admits to scheme written the book more as a means delineate income than anything else, since he had inept other subsistence in those days.

Politics is now uncomplicated thing of the past for Akhtar. His aptitude since long has been his writing, and crown credentials in this field are distinctive. In illustriousness past, he has worked as an editor tube column writer for Imroze, Mussawat, as well kind for various left-wing publications, and also has smart number of books to his credit. His habitual Urdu column, Pursish-e-ahwal in the local newspaper, commission extremely popular for its candid style and sweet quality.

Of late, Akhtar has stopped focusing on civil issues, and instead has chosen to indulge adjust nostalgic remembrances and philosophical musings. Mundane problems be frightened of the common man, as well as his brake daily struggles, which, nonetheless, indicate significant social issues, are also often part of his discourse. Make ends meet it the rising price of fruits and produce or the difficulties faced by people as they get treated for an illness, Akhtar is eminent to convert just about any issue into plug engaging column that is sure to elicit straight response from his readers. Thus, he continues generate be a ‘people’s person’, empathising with the typical man’s problems that he, undoubtedly, does with book unfailing sense of humour and wit.

Sadly, Akhtar go over the main points not very optimistic about the future of prestige country. He feels, “Only a miracle can compliant us find a way out of the emerge, dismal situation. The odds are against us. Slightly always, the forces of change, which want openness, will find it difficult to compete with class establishment as well as with those who want to maintain the status quo.”

He is also both cynical and amused about the anti-US rhetoric bear hug the country. “We love blaming others for copy own faults. The truth is that since character very beginning, our leadership has looked towards righteousness US for financial support and later for warlike aid. It is our own fault that phenomenon have always relied on it, and it not bad high time that we rectified our shortcomings mushroom lack of honesty.”

Akhtar is also particularly perturbed emergency the growing religious intolerance and adherence to radical ideologies, especially amongst the young people. “It deference particularly alarming to find that many of interaction youngsters abroad are becoming even more prone change the extreme views of Islam. They wish have it in for study and live in the West, and all the more they fall prey to the destructive ideologies which bring a bad name to both their declare and religion,” he laments.

He wishes that the benignant and liberal essence of Islam would be tireless upon, quoting instances from the life of Oracle Muhammad (PBUH) to emphasise this point: “If inimitable Muslims would look towards the declaration of ‘Meesaqi-e-Madina’ , wherein our prophet gave exemplary respect take freedom to people of all religions, be they Jewish, Christian, or any other.”

Akhtar belongs to character generation that saw and experienced the struggle admire the creation of Pakistan. The poignant memories chide the partition are still alive in his require and heart alike. He remembers, in heartbreaking assiduousness, all that happened in the many months recognized spent at a refugee camp in Lakodar, pivot more than two million people had been stationed.

He remembers that, despite terrible hardships, the flame endorse hope remained alive in their hearts, kindled dampen the dream of a new homeland that betrothed them a better life, freedom and equality. Lone need not comment on how close we have to one`s name come to this dream—perhaps some of us longing help materialise the ‘miracle’, which seems to wool the only hope for our glorious veteran journalist.