The Progressive Writers’ Association gathered at the Al-Hamra Hall on Wednesday to pay tribute to late senior journalist Hameed Akhtar.
Renowned lawyer Abid Hassan Manto, presiding over the event, said that people such as Sajjad Zaheer and Hameed Akhtar were legends and would always be relevant to the time. They had a dream of working collectively to make a change and this change would be what would turn the situation around, he said. Manto said that this kind of dream and aspiration was important for people. Bushra Hameed, daughter of Hameed Akhtar, said that her father was an open-minded individual, who was never repressive and never confined his daughters but let them make their own choices in life. She said that it was a reality that they were actually closer to their father than their mother. “He was a wonderful and very affectionate father,” said Bushra.
Abdur Rauf Malik remembered Hameed as an old comrade and shared some anecdotes of his experience of meeting him and Sajjad Zaheer. Rashid Misbah gave a detailed account of Akhtar’s columns and his writings. He read from his book ‘Laa Makaan’, and also read out some translations of his writings from his book ‘Rubaab-e-Anjuman’, when he was Bombay secretary of the Progressive Writer’s Association. Hussain Naqi also remembered some anecdotes of his friendi.
