THIS IS MY STORY—61
MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE ERA OF AYUB KHAN TO THE TIMES OF IMRAN KHAN.
GHULAM AKBAR…………..
How Madar-i-Millat Was Trapped
In the early 1950s, Mohtarma had grown disenchanted with politicians, and had infact supported and welcomed Ayub Khan’s takeover. She had then hoped that the change would lead to a more stable form of government and healthier governance. The events that followed had led her to dislike the despotic proclivities and characteristics of the regime, and the personality cult that had grown around the Field Marshal.
In the end it took Maulana Bhashani to convince her to overcome her distaste for politics. He pleaded with her that East Pakistan looked upon her as the symbol of democracy, and that she should not let down the people who had placed such high hopes on her.
Mohtarma finally agreed to be COP’s presidential candidate.
It was virtually a bombshell in Pakistan’s politics.
The period between my meeting with Enayatullah Sahib and the announcement of the candidacy of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah ran over months. The management of Kohistan remained in the hands of Mian Rasheed and Raja Zauq Akhtar. The slide downward of once a mighty newspaper had started. I remember that earlier that year. Television transmission had begun. A Japanese company NEC had installed a TV set in Kohistan’s office as a marketing gimmick.
Mian Rasheed used to bring his entire family occasionally to Kohistan’s office to watch TV programmes. The TV set was placed in the office of the Managing Director. The sight of Enayatuallah Sahib’s room crowded with Qasoorpura village crowd used to infuriate me, but I had gradually resigned to my role as Executive Editor of the newspaper.
I never kept a diary or notes. Thus I am depending very heavily on my memory. There is a little confusion in my mind regarding dates.
