Flashback: A freedom fighter and a scholar

My grandfather established Department of Islamic Studies and Punjabi, the first of its kind in Pakistan

This is an image of my grandfather Allama Ala ud din Siddique (1907-1977) (on the extreme right) taken with President Nixon (left) on August 1, 1969 at Governor House Lahore, where a dinner was held in Nixon’s honour by President Yahya Khan. A freedom fighter, religious scholar and educationalist who took an active part in the creation of Pakistan, my grandfather served as General Secretary of the Punjab Muslim League from 1946-1947. He established the Department of Islamic Studies and Punjabi, the first of its kind in Pakistan, at University of the Punjab. As chairman of the Islamic Ideological Council (1964), the curriculum for Islamic studies was formed under his supervision and his lectures were among the first ones broadcast on Radio Pakistan and PTV at the time.

PHOTO & TEXT: WAJIHA SALMAN

CONCEPT: SANAM MAHER

DESIGN: SAMRA AMIR

This August, The Express Tribune will feature photographs from contributions to an open call for images from the struggle for independence and Pakistan’s formative years.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2014.