‘Progressive texts can fight extremism’

Speakers demand a university chair in Hameed Akhtar’s name.

LAHORE:

Speakers at a condolence reference for writer Hamid Akhtar on Wednesday demanded that a special chair be established at a public-sector university in his name.

They said the work of Akhtar and other progressive writers should be promoted to fight the threat of religious extremism and Talibanisation in the society.

IA Rehman, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan director, said Akhtar had been a dedicated Marxist all his life. He said that though Akhtar had narrated tales from the past he chose to live in the present. Rehman said he had been a vocal supporter of women’s rights. He referred to the achievements of Akhtar’s daughters in their careers and said the man had lived up to the ideas he professed in his writings.

Asgar Nadeem Syed said progressive ideas had been popular among people in the sub-continent. Lately in Pakistan, he said, such ideas were unfortunately losing support.

Shafqat Tanvir Mirza thanked the organisers for arranging the event and hoped that it had helped spread Akhtar’s message.

Hussain Naqi said Akhtar’s greatest achievement had been his work on the rights of oppressed people. He said trying to transform the society was never easy.

Iftikhar Majaz said Akhtar had also struggled for the rights of journalists. He said many people had interpreted the writings of Faiz and Sahir Ludhianwi through Akhtar’s writing about the two.

Saba Hamid, Akhtar’s daughter, former provincial minister Chaudhry Iqbal, Irfan Mufti, Ali Raza, Dawood Sheikh and Dr Farrukh Gulzar also spoke on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2011.