The media in Pakistan tries to reduce everyone in stature ,be he Liaquat Ali Khan himself or be he ZiaulHaq or for that matter any one ,the usual theme is that everyone was a rascal , nobody was good enough or even capable. They try to dictate to us that we are a nation of submediocres , ill willed and unreliable to the last man.
Well if you are victim of this atmosphere then it is time to read someone who has written some good things about leading characters of Pakistan . This book was first published in 1996 and author was Mr.Abdul Qayuum ,a senior official of ministries mostly linked with press and publications but also performed Public relation officer duties with heads of states .
"THREE PRESIDENTS THREE PRIME MINISTERS" is the title and it covers Chaudhary Muhammed Ali , Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Bhutto , Ayub Khan , Zia ul Haq and Ishaq khan .
The book is written from personal interaction point of view ,from personality trait point of view though small but it is well written . The only weak part of the book is its beginning . Descriptions try to incorporate the main thrust of personalities of these past rulers of ours .
Chaudhary Muhammed Ali is revered as brilliant , right minded and dedicated man but not really a politician and a simple person , He framed first 1956 constitution along with Suhrawardy .
Suhrawardy is described as very bold and very generous and great humanitarian ultimately he did not even have money left for proper education of his son abroad . Nehru would feel uncomfortable with him as he stole limelight in front of press .Do see his interview as Foriegn minister on You tube in 1955. At one point author claims that Mujib said to author " Qayuum Bhai ,please tell Netaji not to rebuke me in front of others" {Netaji is Suhrawardi and Qayuum is the author**
Ayub Khan is described as friendly guy , with serious desire to improve relations with India so much so that a snub by Nehru is described whereby in 1960 Nehru rejected common defence offer by Ayub meaning treaty against third powers . Ayub money minded approach is condemned.
Bhutto is described as a different sort but it describes and event that when Nixon fell ill at the time of Bhutto departure for USA ,Nixon postponed visit of Bhutto but let Shah Iran's visit to continue so Bhutto had to get Daultana arrange state visit to UK via invitation from British PM .
Zia ul Haq is decribed as a person with endless humility and energy with a print like handwriting and particularness for appropriate composition ,fronting ,spacing etc , this is not surprising as he was a cartoonist too. Described is Zia sense of attachment to religion and author describes stopping motorcade to lend hand to a small unnoticed funeral not watched by any media . His spending state money on poor persons is described.
Ishaq khan is decribed as person with wide knowledge and a keen eye on spending and tendency to simplicity .
Book is less an 200 pages and student with interest in political biographical accounts will find book solving some mysteries and filing some gaps .
I hope that website editors routinely consider book reviews like this as essential part of siasat , afterall if we do not know political actors past and present , what siasat are we discussing then ?.
There should be a section , heading for siasi publications too.
Author needs to be commended and so should dost publications to keep it in print .
The strong part is author's descriptions not his introduction which might be useful for a newbie.
Well if you are victim of this atmosphere then it is time to read someone who has written some good things about leading characters of Pakistan . This book was first published in 1996 and author was Mr.Abdul Qayuum ,a senior official of ministries mostly linked with press and publications but also performed Public relation officer duties with heads of states .
"THREE PRESIDENTS THREE PRIME MINISTERS" is the title and it covers Chaudhary Muhammed Ali , Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Bhutto , Ayub Khan , Zia ul Haq and Ishaq khan .
The book is written from personal interaction point of view ,from personality trait point of view though small but it is well written . The only weak part of the book is its beginning . Descriptions try to incorporate the main thrust of personalities of these past rulers of ours .
Chaudhary Muhammed Ali is revered as brilliant , right minded and dedicated man but not really a politician and a simple person , He framed first 1956 constitution along with Suhrawardy .
Suhrawardy is described as very bold and very generous and great humanitarian ultimately he did not even have money left for proper education of his son abroad . Nehru would feel uncomfortable with him as he stole limelight in front of press .Do see his interview as Foriegn minister on You tube in 1955. At one point author claims that Mujib said to author " Qayuum Bhai ,please tell Netaji not to rebuke me in front of others" {Netaji is Suhrawardi and Qayuum is the author**
Ayub Khan is described as friendly guy , with serious desire to improve relations with India so much so that a snub by Nehru is described whereby in 1960 Nehru rejected common defence offer by Ayub meaning treaty against third powers . Ayub money minded approach is condemned.
Bhutto is described as a different sort but it describes and event that when Nixon fell ill at the time of Bhutto departure for USA ,Nixon postponed visit of Bhutto but let Shah Iran's visit to continue so Bhutto had to get Daultana arrange state visit to UK via invitation from British PM .
Zia ul Haq is decribed as a person with endless humility and energy with a print like handwriting and particularness for appropriate composition ,fronting ,spacing etc , this is not surprising as he was a cartoonist too. Described is Zia sense of attachment to religion and author describes stopping motorcade to lend hand to a small unnoticed funeral not watched by any media . His spending state money on poor persons is described.
Ishaq khan is decribed as person with wide knowledge and a keen eye on spending and tendency to simplicity .
Book is less an 200 pages and student with interest in political biographical accounts will find book solving some mysteries and filing some gaps .
I hope that website editors routinely consider book reviews like this as essential part of siasat , afterall if we do not know political actors past and present , what siasat are we discussing then ?.
There should be a section , heading for siasi publications too.
Author needs to be commended and so should dost publications to keep it in print .
The strong part is author's descriptions not his introduction which might be useful for a newbie.
