As one of the speakers I also had something to share with the audience. What surprised me about the book is the informal and unassuming manner in which the respected former Chief Justice of the Shariat Court, and former Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, has informally talked about some of his landmark judgments. Very nice of him to let the great implications of those judgments speak for themselves. It is undoubtedly something rare in Pakistan where even former judges have to speak a lot lauder about their judgments than the affectees of their verdicts.
Having known Justice Haziq ul Khairi for more than five decades I can vouchsafe for the humble disposition God has gifted him with. I remember him as a young advocate working for the intellectual property rights of the writers in a country where the writers have enjoyed no tradition of copy rights. He worked a great deal for the nascent Pakistan Writers' Guild's efforts to do something in this regard. I had also a good fortune to know his father Maulana Raziqul Khairi, worthy, son of Maulana Rashid ul Khairi, Founder editor of Monthly Ismat, Delhi, whose services for the uplift of our subcontinent's womanfolk - particularly Mulsim womanfolk cannot be forgotten. Maulana Rashid ul Khairi also enjoys the honour of editing Sir Abdul Qadir's Mkhzan for a period of three years.
Monthly Ismat was read by thousands of women readers of the Muslim elite and eminent writers such as Shaista Suhrawardi, Quratulain Haider and quite a few worthy writers were introduced by this magazine. Ismat served many causes including the Law of inheritance for the Muslim women because it was generally denied to them. The government of Punjab had enacted a law to deny this right to Muslim woman as the feudal lords of that province were on the forefront in the enactment this highly anti Islamic law.
I particularly liked Justice Haziqul Khairi's autobiography for the graphic distinction of social life of Delhi in the 30s & 40s and the social life of Karachi soon after independence, particularly from the point of view of young migrants. His nostalgia for Delhi and Karachi life of those days is simply wonderful and one wished that it could be relived.
Justice Haziqul Khairi wrote Urdu short stories before joining the High Court and his collection of stories 'Guzarti Shah' was warmly received by the critics. He also edited Monthly Ismat along with his father for sometime.
He narrates the background of Asif Ali Zardari's petition before his bench praying that he could be fired on bail as his case was not decided within two years. The President of Pakistan got the clause pertaining to this kind of a plea removed but the bench comprising him and Justice Mamoon Qazi had accepted the lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan's plea that the relevant clause was removed to deprive petitioner of the benefit. Justice Khairi and Justice Mamoon Qazi's bench gave the verdict that Asif Ali Zardari be released on bail. Quite a bold decision indeed!
Among his popular verdicts was the vacation of Karcahi's historic Jehangir Park from the encroachers and the removal of old Sabzi Mandi to its new place on the Super Highway. The Lyari Housing Society and the Malir Development Authority's dillydallying over 30,000 allotees of the land was also a source of alarm for the allotees. This issue was amicably solved along with Kohsar Extension Housing Scheme, Hyderabad's case. As a result of the resolution of this case the land was allotted to the allotees and the remaining land was transferred to the Hyderabad Development Authority. Now Hyderabad's City University is coming up in the Kohsar, Hyderabad area.
The services of Justice Haziqul Khairi are manifold and he proved that the Sindh Ombudsman's office succeeded in bringing disputants to the table and making them solve the issues of public interests.
Justice Haziqul Khairi is really a modest person and his landmark judgments and decisions as Sindh's ombudsman speak volumes for this man of letters accomplishments in the field of law. He proved by his example that it was necessary to be forthright courageous enough to deliver courageous judgments to mitigate litigants' ordeals.
ANWAR AHSAN SIDDIQUI
The passing away of Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui, well known progressive writer of Karachi and an important student activist is sad indeed. As one of those student leaders against the famous students movement against the Ayub's Khan is dictatorship who went through the ordeal of expulsion from Karachi his services cannot be forgotten.
He wrote quite a few novels in a Karachi's popular magazine besides poetry with a great deal of progressive fervour. He wrote a weekly column for a Karachi daily as well. His translation of a work 'Marxist Philosophy' will always be remembered by young intellectuals. For some time past he was not keeping well but he never flinched from his role as a leader of the progressive movement in Karachi. His last notable activity was the PWA's Platinum Jubilee in December 2011.
As one who knew him for the last 40-45 years I can vouchsafe that only a few writers could match with his integrity and sense of commitments. He always remained a beacon light of the unwavering commitment to progressive ideals in a country which has been experiencing a great deal of religious obscurantism and fundamentalist still upsurge in the tribal belt of Pakistan. The Hindutva in India and Muslim fundamentalism in Pakistan have to thrive in a region where both these forces were being supported by neo-liberalism of Corporate imperialism. Muslim fundamentalism owes its advent to the patronage of the identity euphoria which is as opposed to humanistic spiritualism. It is another thing that Msulim fundamentalism was promoted by the West so long it had USSR breathing down its spine in Afghanistan. It didn't take long to see blue-eyed boys of imperialism turning into irreconcilable enemies when they were forsaken and left abandoned by their former allies. In India Hindutva is enjoying a more abiding and close relationship with forces of post-modern upsurge.
PWA held a condolence meeting to commemorate late Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui's services. Mairaj Muhammad Khan, Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmad, Dr Mazhar Haider, Kiran Singh, Dr Jamal Naqvi, Rahat Saeed and Muqtida Mansoor spoke on the services of Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui. There is no other way to keep his memory alive except promoting a world view which produces intellectuals like him.