LAHORE: Aamir Iqbal Yazdani’s new book ‘Haq ki Talash ka Musafir’ (wayfarer in search of truth) was launched on Thursday at Pak Tea House.
Speakers at the occasion of the autobiography’s launch praised the work highly, saying that the book marked the start of a new dialogue.
Haq ki Talash ka Musafir is Aamir Iqbal Yazdani’s autobiography, divided into 14 chapters spread over a total of 470 pages. It covers the writer’s life experiences from over four decades which he spent in “search of the truth”.
Lahore Progressive Writers Association General Secretary Hussain Shams Rana lauded the book at the occasion, saying that even though it narrated the life events of a particular individual, the principles listed by Yazdani to look for the “truth” were universal.
Hussain Rana further added that autobiographies are evaluated on two principles – their literary value and their relevance for the society. He added that societies were unable to progress without actively engaging in dialogues and lamented that the history of Pakistan had exactly such moments in which dialogue was stifled. He said that Yazdani’s book would be a tool for reinitiating dialogue which was killed during the unconstitutional regime of military dictator Zia ul Haq through his rigidity as he used religion to prolong his regime.
He mentioned that Yazdani had named Amin Ahsan Islahi, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, Maulana Maududi and Dr Israr Ahmad as his spiritual teachers in the book.
Speaking at the occasion, Yazdani said that he had observed the country’s situation very keenly and that Pakistan had remained progressive till the 70s. However, when Zia ul Haq took over during the 1980s, the fortune of the country was changed for the worse.
He said that he had recorded his experiences in his book, adding that he was of Muslim faith not simply because he had been born a Muslim but because he had embarked on a long journey to discover what he called the “truth”. He said that the logical and rational conclusion of his dedicated endeavour was to arrive at Islam and acknowledge it as the “truth”.
Yazdani quoted Allama Iqbal’s couplet, “Tajasus ki rahain badalti hui / Damadam nigahain badalti hui” and remarked that his journey had not yet ended and that he did not believe in stagnation.
Sharing his views with Pakistan Today, Yazdani said that everyone who considered him or herself a traveller on the path of truth could benefit from reading Haq ki Talash ka Musafir at least once.
Other literary figures who spoke on the occasion included noted poets Abid Hussain Abid and Wajid Amir, both of whom termed the book as start of a new dialogue.
