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| Late Majid Nizami |
I had a number of interactions with Janab
Nizami Sahab and found him to be a man with wisdom and very kindhearted.
My
first meeting took place with him when I was passing through the difficult days
when I was made OSD under suspension because of investigation into very high
profiles cases against the then Prime Minister. I still remember his advice to
me; “this too shall pass”, and then I was his regular visitor and had meetings
with him in Islamabad.
The
time did change and I became Interior Minister and he desired me to be the
chief guest in a seminar on the topic of Quaid’s Vision. Indeed it was an honor
for me to be with a man with unmatched personality & qualities. Majid
Nizami was a chief editor and publisher of Nawa-i-Waqt. The newspaper was
founded by Majid’s older brother, Hameed Nizami in 1940, who had later died in
1962 at age 46 in Pakistan. Majid Nizami then stepped in to start managing the
Nawa-i-Waqt newspaper in 1962. He was also the chairman of Nazaria-i-Pakistan
Trust.
He was
an icon and role model in the field of journalism. His brother Hameed Nizami
had started Nawa-i-Waqt on the instruction of the Quaid-e-Azam as a fortnightly
paper to counter the Hindu press during the Independence Movement. Majid Nizami
took charge of Nawa-i-Waqt after his brother’s death in 1962. From a
fortnightly, he built it into what it is today.
His
legacy is being carried forward by his daughter Rameeza Majid Nizami. There has
been no change in the policy of Nawa-i-Waqt group under her. Ideology of
Pakistan, support for Kashmiris freedom struggle, strengthening of democracy
and nationalism are still the cornerstone of the institution that Majid Nizami
had built over the years.
I
remember having arrived at the function was in lawn of the said building. This
was time when I was able to learn about the many aspects of Quaid-e-Azam’s
charismatic personality during the address of Nazami Sahab. The thing I figured
out from his address was that Nizami Sahab loved Quaid E Azam.
This
was the kind of love each of us Pakistanis should have in our hearts for
Quaid-e-Azam as he made Pakistan because he felt the need to as Muslims minority
in Sub-continent wasn’t being respected or given their due rights, rather they
were being treated as second class citizens in a Hindu-majority India.
The
present “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” is a later addition of the newly
independent state founded by Quaid-e-Azam and not something he espoused.
Jinnah’s idea of the Two Nation Theory was due to secular concerns that Muslims
would be marginalized by Hindus in a united India suppressing Muslims. What
Nazami Shaib did was to carry the strong vision of Quaid-e-Azam forward to his
nation.
His
respect and love for the country and its founder can be judged from the office
of his media group as, on each wall of the office pictures of Quaid and
historical documents are displayed.
He
breathed his last on 24th July 2014 and Pakistan lost a great asset of the
country who had played a great role in journalism, politics and protecting and
preserving the Pakistan’s history. He will be remembered always with respect
and honor. He was supported by many for being the guiding light for the nation.
I pray for the departed soul and may God bless his soul in peace.
Majid
Nizami was the protector of the ideology of Pakistan and a torchbearer of the
freedom of journalism. His commitment towards the ideology of Pakistan especially
his stance on the Kashmir issue cannot be questioned. His services for Pakistan
shall be remembered forever.
The
article was published in “The Nation” on July 27th, 2019, link to
the original article is - Majid Nizami - visionary of his time
by Senator A. Rehman Malik
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