THIS IS MY STORY—44
MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE ERA OF AYUB KHAN TO THE TIMES OF IMRAN KHAN.
GHULAM AKBAR
The Man Behind The Mischief
It was Habib ur Rahman Chapta who first pointed out to me that my relations with Khalid could get sour because of Enayat Sahib’s visible inclination towards me.
“You have been given full Editor’s grade as per the Wage Board Award Akbar Sahib which will not go well with Khalid Sahib who is drawing half your salary in the Press,” Chapta once told me.
“I can’t be blamed for that Habib Sahib,” I replied to him.
Soon after I was to learn that there had been a secret connection between Chapta and Khalid Sahib ever since Enayat Sahib had returned from the U.K.
I was greatly disturbed in mind. On the one side was Nasim Jijazi my Mamoon and my ideological hero— and on the other side the man whose vision and hard work had built Kohistan into a formidable force, and who was both my mentor and benefactor.
And my sixth sense was telling me that a situation was fast taking shape in which I had to choose between the two. It was an option that made chills run down my spine. There was simply no way I could desert my uncle. And not deserting him meant an open confrontation with the man who had in less than a year transformed my life in quite a revolutionary way.
It was in this state of mind that I thought of involving both the late Mohammad Mushtaq of National Advertising and the late CA Rauf of Lintas International in the matter.
C.A Rauf had enormous respect for Mamoon Jan, but was a great admirer of Enayat Sahib.
He was shocked when I took him into confidence about the rapidly developing feud between the two builders of Daily Kohistan.
He took no time in making up his mind to intervene. He consulted Mushtaq Sahib too on a possible course of action. Both of them, whose affection and admiration I had come to enjoy, flew to Lahore with one mission in mind—SAVE KOHISTAN.
In fact two more quick trips on their part were needed before Rauf Sahib called me to his office.
“I have a good news for you Akbar,” he said to me with a smile. “They both have agreed to resolve the differences through arbitration. And the arbitrator’s role will be played by Sheikh Hamid Mahmood the ex-Managing Editor of Nawai Waqt.”
“Arbitration ! Why arbitration? Couldn’t they sit down together and talk out a solution between themselves?” I said bitterly.
“I understand your sentiments”, Rauf Sahib said. “That would have been ideal. But I have a feeling Nasim Sahib is not being advised by right persons. Don’t worry. I have faith in Sheikh Hamid Mahmood. One decision has already been made. Your special correspondent here is being transferred to Lahore with immediate effect. Enayat Sahib wants him to stay under his direct scrutiny and control. Is he such a mischief-maker Akbar?”
Rauf Sahib’s reference was towards Habib ur Rahman Chapta.
