Senior journalist’s translated book launched

The book has been translated into English and rechristened as ‘Freedom of the Press: The War on Words (1977-1978)’

ISLAMABAD: The English translation of senior journalist Ahfazur Rehman’s book on the state of the press during the coup to remove former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has been launched.

Originally titled ‘Sab se Bari Jung’, the Urdu language book has been translated into English and rechristened as ‘Freedom of the Press: The War on Words (1977-1978)’.

Translated by Imtiaz Piracha, it covers the journalist movement in 1977-78.

The movement saw as many as 523 reporters, sub-editors and newspaper workers from Karachi and Lahore arrested.

The journalists had raised their voices against press censorship were subsequently tried by military courts and were sentenced from six months to a year in prison apart from facing torture.

Rehman’s book includes several accounts of the ordeals faced by the journalists in jail along with photographs.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2018.